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HOWTOIAYOUT 
SUBURBAN  HQME 
^ GROUNDS^ 


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HERBERT  J.  KELLAWAY 


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LIBRARY 

OFTKE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  lUlNOIS 


Plate  I.  Frontispikck. 
A  small  quiet  nook  of  a  place  nestled  among  trees, 
and  carpeted  with  green  around.  And  there  a  brook 
should  murmur  with  a  voice  of  outdoor  happiness.  — 
And,  then,  health  in  balm  should  come  about  ray  path 
and  my  mind  be  as  a  part  of  every  fragrant  thing  that 
suone  and  grew  around  me.  — Douglas  Jeruoli>. 


HOW   TO    LAY    OUT 

SUBURBAN  HOME 

GROUNDS 


BY 

HERBERT  J.  KELLAWAr 

Landscape  Architect;  F.  A.  S.  L.  A. 


SECOND    EDITION,  ENLARGED 
FIRST    THOUSAND 


NEW  YORK 

JOHN  WILEY   &   SONS,   Inc. 

London:  CHAPMAN  &  HALL,  Limited 

1915 


Copyright,  1907,  1915, 

BY 

HERBERT    J.   KELLAWAY 


PREFACE  TO  SECOND  EDITION. 

Landscape  Ai'cliitecture  is  to-day  recognized  as  one  of  the 
fine  arts.  The  appUcation  of  tliis  new  art  is  becoming  more 
universal  as  the  days  and  years  go  by,  not  only  in  the  large 
pubhc  and  private  undertakings,  but  even  about  the  modern 
moderate  home  for  wliich  tliis  work  was  especially  -WTitten 
as  an  inspiration.  That  it  has  accomphshed  much  in  making 
the  home  smToundings  beautiful  is  the  best  reason  for  the 
hope  that  this  edition  ^^ill  be  helpful 

H.  J.  K. 

Boston,  Mass.,  February,  191.5. 


312193 


PREFACE   TO   FIRST  EDITION. 

Outdoor  art  is  to-day  recognized  as  necessary  to  the  com- 
j  letion  of  a  home.  What  are  the  best  methods  to  pursue  in 
designing  small  suburban  grounds?  As  an  assistance  to  those 
with  moderate  incomes  wishing  to  secure  beautiful  surround- 
ings, the  following  thoughts  are  written.  They  are  not  intended 
to  deal  with  the  treatment  of  large  estates  or  explain  the  many 
principles  of  landscape  architecture,  but  only  as  an  incentive 
to  good  taste. 

The  need  for  planning  and  "counting  the  cost"  before  begin- 
ning the  construction  of  the  house  is  a})parent.  The  problem 
should  be  treated  as  a  whole,  rather  than  to  consider  the 
grounds  as  an  afterthought. 

It  is  not  my  intention  that  the  plans  and  sketches  shown 
shall  be  designs  to  be  carried  out,  but  only  as  an  example  of 
what  can  be  done.  Every  site  presents  conditions  and  oppor- 
tunities which  should  be  taken  advantage  of  in  the  develop- 
ment. As  every  locality  has  plants  that  are  indigenous  to 
the  region,  it  seems  useless  to  merely  give  an  extended  list  of 
trees  and  shrubs,  but  to  direct  the  reader  to  a  means  of  securing 
the  knowledge  in  one's  own  community. 

In  the  hope  that  many  may  be  inspired  to  seek  better  things 
a1:)0ut  the  home  this  small  work  is  sent  forth. 

Herbert  J.  Kellaway. 

Boston,  ]\Iass.,  June,  1907. 


CONTENTS. 

Page 
CHAFFER   1 

How  TO  Begin  a  Suburban  Home  —  Planning  Before  Beginning  .       3 

CHAPTER   II 

Choosing  the  Homesite  —  The  Treatment  of  Difficult  Situations       8 

CHAPTER   III 
Practical  Utilities  and  Art  Combined 16 

CHAPTER   IV 

Ownership  —  The     Survey  —  The    Preliminary    Plan    and     the 

Grading  Plan - 23 

CHAPTER   V 
A  Good  Design  Needs  Good  Construction     , ,    .     31 

CHAPTER  VI 

Architectural  Adornments  on  the  Grounds 50 

CHAPTER   VII 
How  TO  Make  a  Lawn   .    .    , 55 

CHAPTER   \TII 
V/hat  to  Plant  and  How  to  Make  the  Planting  Plan    .....     64 

CHAPTER  IX 
How  and  When  to  Plant     , 79 

CHAPTER  X 
Trees — Desiduous  and  Evergreen — A  Few  Desirable  Kinds       .     .     95 


viii  Contents. 

CHAPTER  XI 

Page 
Shrubs — Deciduous    and    Evergreen — A    Few    Hardy    Kinds — 

Time  and  Color  of  Their  Bloom 98 

CHAPTER  Xn 

Hardy  Herbaceous  Perennials — A  Few  Desirable  Varieties — 

Time  and  Color  of  Their  Bloom 102 

CHAPTER  XIII 

Vines  and  Annuals — A  Few  Desirable  Varieties,  How  to  Start 

THE  Seeds  115 

CHAPTER  XIV 

How  TO  Know  the  Plants  to  Use — The  Sphere  of  the  Landscape 

Architect — The  Value  of  Good  Design  123 


ILLUSTPvATIONS. 

Pa(;e 

Pl-\te  I.  Frontispiece 

Plate  II.    House  Designed  in  Harmony  with  Natural  Conditions  ...  5 

Plate  III,    A  Well  Developed  Suburban  Community 5 

Plate  IV,   An  Example  of  Good  Development ...  9 

Plate  V.   Wmter  Scene 9 

Plate  ^'I.  A  ''Back  yard  "  made  with  a  Simple  Lawn  and  Garden  .  .  17 
Plate  MI.    The  Rear  of  the  House  Made  into  a  Terrace  Garden  with 

Sundial 17 

Plate  VIII.    Walled  Flower  Garden,  Street  Side 21 

Plate  IX.    Walled  Flower  Garden,  Inside  View lil 

Plate  X.    Drive  Located  on  Simple  Curves 33 

Plate  XI.   Steps  and  Walk  Made  to  Fit  Slope il 

Plate  XII,     Shrubbery  at  Base  of  House 41 

Plate  XIII.    Stepping  Stones  to  Overcome  a  Grade ,    .  45 

Plate  XIV.   A  Well  Built  Wall 45 

Plate  XV.    Kitchen  Entrance  Screened  in  Conjunction  with  Laundry 

Yard 47 

Plate  X\'I.    One  Type  of  Laundry  Yard  Fence 47 

Plate  X\'II.   Wall  Built  of  Boulders  and  Ledge  Stones,  covered  with 

Vines    . 53 

Plate  XVIII.   Service  Entrance  to  Estate 53 

Plate  XIX.   A  Terrace  Flower  Garden       57 

Plate  XX.   A  Flower  Garden,  Box  Bordered 57 

Plate  XXI.    Brick  Walk  in  a  Terrace  Flower  Garden 59 

Plate   XXII.   A  Flower  Bordered  Walk ,    ,    .    .  59 

Plate  XXIII.   Wall  and  Gate  at  Kitchen  Entrance     ..,.,,..  7i 

Plate  XXIV.   A  Brick  Boundary  Wall 71 

Plate  XXV.   A  Tree  and  Shrub  Embordered  Lawn      ........  73 

Plate  XX\T.   An  Open  Lawn  Between  House  and  Street  ......  73 

Plate  XXMI.   Natural  Style  of  Treatment       o    .    .    .    .    .  77 

Plate  XXVIII.    Natural  Style  of  Development     .    .    .    o 77 

is 


X  Illustrations. 

Paob 

Plate  XXIX.  Appearance  of  House  Before  Planting 81 

Plate  XXX.    Appearance  of  House  After  Planting  .    .        81 

Plate  XXXI.  Appearance  of  House  and  Grounds  Before  Treatment  .  85 
Plate  XXXII.    Appearance  of  House  and  Grounds  After  Study  and 

Development , 85 

Plate  XXXIII,   Appearance  of  House  and  Grounds  After  Grading  and 

Before  Planting 89 

Plate  XXXIV.   Appearance  of  House  and  Grounds  After  Study  and 

Planting 89 

Plate  XXXV.     Terrace  Garden,  Herbaceous  Perennials 105 

Pl.\te  XXXVI.     Herbaceous  Flower  Garden 105 

Pl.ate  XXXVII.    Bird  Bath  Walk  from  Flower  Garden 113 

Plate  XXXVIII.  Flower  Garden  on  Grounds  of  1§  acres  in  extent.  .  117 
Plate  XXXIX.     Terrace  Garden,  Herbaceous  Perennials  and  Vines. 

Brick  Walk       121 

Plate  XL.     Simple  Treatment  of  Ordinary  House 125 

Plate  XLI.     Simple  Entrance  to  Kitchen  Porch  and  Yard 125 


PLANS   AND   MAPS. 

Page 

Plan  I.    Preliminary  Plan  for  Treatment  of  Level  Open  Lot 13 

Plan  II,    Topographical  Map  Estate  "A" 25 

Plan  III     Preliminary  Plan  for  Estate  "A" 27 

Plan  IV.    Grading  Plan  for  Estate  "A"      .    , 31 

Plan  V.    Simple  Treatment  of  Nearly  Level  Lot 39 

Plan  Xl.    Planting  Plan  Estate  "A" 67 

PlanVII.    Tape  Measured  Survey  of  Estate  "  B" 92 

Plan  Vni.    Preliminary  Plan  for  Estate  "  B" 93 

Plan  IX.    Preliminary  Plan  for  Estate  "  C " 109 

Pl.\n  X.   Topographical  Map  of  Estate  "C"  ,    . 109 

PL.A.N  XI.    Cross  Section  of  Estate  "C" 109 

Plan  XII.  Topographical  Map  of  Estate  "D" 110 

Plan  XIII.  Prehminary  Plan  of  Estate  "  D  " HI 

Plan  XIV.  Topographical  Map  of  Estate  "  E  " 130 

Plan  XV.  Preliminary  Plan  for  Estate  "  E  " 131 


HOW    TO    LAY    OUT    SUBURBAN 
HOME    GROUNDS. 


T  T  /HJT  artist  so  noble  as  he  who,  tvith  far  reaching  conception  of  beauty 

r    y         and  designing  power,  sketches  the  outlines,  arranges  the  colors,  and 

directs   the  shadows  of  a  picture   upon  which  nature  shall  be  employed  for 

generations  before    the  work  he   has  prepared  for   her  hand  shall  realize  his 

intentions. — FREDERICK  LAW  OLMSTED. 


CHAPTER  I. 

And  a  Man  shall  ever  see,  that  when  Ages  grow 
to  Civility  and  Elegance,  Men  come  to  build 
stately,  sooner  than  to  garden  finely;  as  if 
Gardening  were  the  Greater  Perfection.  — 
Francis  Bacon. 

jHE  first  man,  Adam,  began  life  in  Paradise,  the 
garden  of  Eden.  Is  it  too  much  to  say  that  the 
home  spirit  is  inborn;  the  love  of  home  a  force  and 
the  desire  to  own  a  home  the  crown  of  a  man's  am- 
bition? The  mystical  ideal  is  ever  present  not  in  mere  wood, 
stone,  and  land,  but  is  clothed  about  with  life.  The  memories 
of  childhood  days  are  of  the  living  things,  the  home  folk,  the 
animals,  the  trees,  the  flowers.  There  is  no  deep  attachment 
to  inanimate  objects  unless  embodied  with  the  mystery  of  home 
life  and  spirit.  Man  wants  a  home.  The  delights  of  ownership 
and  the  responsibilities  are  subject  to  the  same  laws,  whether 
it  is  the  rich  man  in  his  palace  or  the  poor  man  in  his  meagre 
cottage.  The  ability  to  realize  and  attain  the  ideal  is  limited 
by  circumstances.  Often  the  supposed  excessive  expense  is 
in  the  imagination. 

If  the  ideal  were  made  tangible  in  the  form  of  a  well  out- 
lined plan  of  action  and  development  the  desired  result  would 
be  secured.  AVithout  such  plan  not  infrequently  funds  are  spent 
in  securing  poor  or  second-class  treatment  of  the  home  gi'ounds. 

Can  the  ideal  be  attained?  Yes;  perhaps  not  all  at  once, 
but  little  by  little  as  funds  permit.  The  scheme  must  be  out- 
lined and  a  determined  and  settled  purpose  will  accomplish 
what  was  seemingly  the  unattainable.  The  house  is  usually 
the  first  thought.  Instead  the  beginning  should  be  on  the 
ground,   the  location,   quality,  surroundings,  and   possibilities 


4  How  to  Lay  Out 

for  development.  The  adaptability  of  the  site  to  secure  the 
ideals  of  the  home  builder  should  be  considered,  whether  it  is 
a  shrub  embordered  lawn,  a  flower  garden,  or  natural  or  wild 
grounds.  It  is  possible  to  create  effects  on  almost  any  site, 
but  every  natural  feature  should  be  utilized.  A  home  well 
begun  is  half  done.  Consideration  should  be  given,  besides 
the  cost,  to  the  "upkeep"  or  maintenance.  The  cheapest 
method  of  development  and  least  cost  for  care  is  to  have  mostly 
lawn  and  shrubbery.  The  more  details  planned,  such  as  arbors, 
terraces,  and  gardens,  the  greater  will  be  the  expense  for  keep- 
ing them  in  order.    See  Plates  II,  VIII,  IX,  and  XX. 

Moderate  places  can  be  kept  in  order  as  a  morning  and  even- 
ing exercise  to  the  busy  city  worker.  If  larger  grounds  are 
attempted  it  may  be  necessary  to  hire  a  man  by  the  day  occa- 
sionally or  secure  his  services  permanently.  This  expense  can 
be  found  by  inquiry  as  to  prevailing  rates.  Another  item 
of  expense  that  should  be  thought  of,  is  the  purchase  of  fer- 
tilizers and  materials  for  repairs. 

It  is  a  good  idea  not  to  attempt  too  much  or  plan  beyond 
one's  means  or  possible  future  income. 

Often  one  sees  a  house  occupying  the  larger  portion  of  the 
grounds,  built  out  of  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  lot  available. 
Such  large  houses  give  the  idea  of  a  one-sided  life.  It  is  an 
inside  life,  not  broad  and  cheering  as  the  home  plot  well  devel- 
oped can  give. 

The  house  is  usually  the  first  thought  and  where  shall  it 
be  placed,  it  being  a  universal  feeling  that  anyone  can  locate 
a  house.  The  inexperienced  usually  determines  the  location 
of  the  grounds  without  serious  consideration  as  to  the  loca- 
tion of  the  walks,  drives,  lawns,  clothes  drying  yard,  coal  hole, 
or  sufficient  thought  as  to  sunlight.  A  fine  view  is  often  the 
determining  point.  This,  at  first,  may  be  inspiring  to  the 
owner  and  to  the  occasional  visitor,  but  the  effect  of  the  views 
gradually  wears  away.  Consideration  of  comfort,  sunlight^, 
and  air  are  more  lasting  and  need  serious  thought. 


Plate.  II,      House  designed  to  harmonize  wiih  red  cedars  existing  on  the 
ground,  showing  good  taste. 


Plate  III.     A  well  studied  development  of  a  suburban  community,  stepping 
stones  in  lawn  lead  to  covered  gate. 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  iLLuMOIiJ 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  7 

This  method  of  procedure  often  involves  the  owner  in  much 
needless  expense,  whereas  a  far  better  result  can  be  obtained 
by  planning  before  beginning. 

There  is  as  much  reason  for  planning  the  grounds  as  there 
is  for  planning  the  house.  The  position  for  the  various  depart- 
ments, such  as  the  front  approach,  the  servants'  approach, 
the  laundry  yard,  the  stable  yard,  flower  garden,  tennis  court, 
lawn,  location  of  trees  and  shrubs,  and  the  grading  should  all 
be  determined  before  beginning  the  work.  Each  department 
should  bear  its  proper  relation  to  the  other. 

No  dream  paper  plan  that  is  drawn  to  look  pretty  and  pleas- 
ing will  do,  but  one  that  is  made  to  fit  the  ground,  and  to  utilize 
all  the  available  existing  materials. 

Emphasis  is  often  laid  upon  the  plants  and  planting. 
Greater  stress  should  be  put  upon  the  design  and  arrangement. 
The  ground  must  be  shaped  and  developed  right  for  the  same 
reason  that  jewels  merely  adorn  but  do  not  make  a  woman 
beautiful.     See  Plates  V  and  XXV. 

In  locating  trees  and  shrubs  simply  bear  in  mind  the  present 
and  future  effect  after  the  plants  have  grown  to  maturity.  It 
is  almost  a  truism  that  the  composition  which  looks  so  simple 
and  complete  is  the  hardest  to  attain. 


How  to  Lay  Out 


CHAPTER  II. 

Choose,  then,  between  the  masterpiece  of  gar- 
dening and  the  work  of  nature;  between  what 
is  conventionally  beautiful,  and  what  is  beau- 
tiful without  rule.  —  Victor  Hugo. 

HE  nature  of  man  and  his  tastes  may  be  expressed 
JDy  the  works  he  does  or  the  choices  he  makes. 

Expression  may  be  given  in  the  architectural  or 
formal  style  of  gardening,  while  others  may  be 
satisfied  by  the  informal  or  natural  style.  Instead  of  clinging 
to  one  style  there  is  often  a  desire  to  have  both,  a  touch  of 
the  regular  well  kept  lines  with  an  opportunity  to  retreat  to 
the  easy  flowing  grace  of  the  natural  or  wild  treatment.  See 
Plates  XXVI  and  XXVII. 

The  choice  of  the  site  is  important  as  providing  opportunity 
for  the  realization  of  these  desires.  Often  a  site  is  chosen  for  no 
other  reason  than  that  a  friend  or  neighbor  will  live  next  door. 

Much  expense  and  disappointment  may  be  saved  by  consid- 
ering a  few  of  the  following  suggestive  questions  before  pur- 
chasing. 

Are  the  transportation  facilities  to  and  from  business  frequent 
and  satisfactory? 

How  far  distant  are  the  schools,  churches,  physicians,  and 
stores? 

Are  there  proper  regulations  and  j^rovisions  as  to  street 
lighting,  care  of  the  streets,  and  removal  of  offal  and  ashes? 

Is  there  adequate  provision  for  fire  and  police  protection  in 
the  nmnicipality? 

What  are  the  taxes  and  assessments  of  the  municipality? 

Is  the  street  accepted  and  maintained  by  the  town,  or  is  it 
a  private  way  to  be  maintained  by  and  at  the  expense  of  the 
abutters. 


Plate  IV.     An  example  of  good  suburban  development. 


-^  '.'U 


Plate  V.     Wiuter  effect.     Even  in  winter  shrubbery  in  masses  is  beautiful 
aUliouoli  barren  of  leaves. 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  1 1 

Is  the  street  if  unaccepted  as  a  public  highway  of  the  legal 
width? 

What  is  the  elevation  of  the  district?  Is  it  swampy  or  is  the 
site  subject  to  the  drainage  of  adjoining  land? 

Are  there  stagnant  pools  in  the  neighborhood  causing  the 
breeding  of  mosquitoes? 

Is  the  district  healthy?  Has  it  a  reputation  for  malarial 
infections? 

Has  the  site  been  filled  with  ashes  and  refuse  making  a  poor 
foundation  for  the  house  or  for  the  treatment  of  the  ground? 

Is  there  a  good,  pure  water  supply,  and,  if  wells  are  to  be 
depended  upon,  is  there  any  drainage  from  neighboring  cess- 
pools or  stables  which  is  likely  to  contaminate  the  water? 

Are  there  nuisances  in  the  neighborhood  such  as  piggeries 
or  foul  smelling  factories? 

If  sewers  are  not  in  the  vicinity,  is  the  soil  of  such  a  char- 
acter that  proper  cesspools  can  be  built? 

Is  the  neighborhood  of  such  a  character  that  the  general 
trend  of  improvement  will  be  upward? 

What  is  the  character  of  the  soil  and  subsoil?  Is  it  adapt- 
able for  either  lawns,  trees,  shrubs,  flower  gardens,  vegetable 
gardens,  etc? 

Are  building  materials  available  in  the  vicinity? — that  the 
cost  of  building  may  not  be  excessive. 

Are  there  restrictions  as  to  the  minimum  cost  and  character 
of  the  buildings? 

In  well  ordered  communities  on  tracts  of  land  that  have  been 
developed  by  a  competent  landscape  architect,  the  location  of  the 
roads  and  the  shape  of  the  lots  are  determined  so  as  to  provide 
the  best  site  for  the  house  and  development  for  each  lot.  A 
restriction  line  or  building  limit  is  placed  upon  the  ground 
varying  from  25  feet  to  50  feet  in  width  from  the  street  line  to 
secure  a  uniform  arrangement  of  houses.    See  Plates  III  and  IV. 

On  the  side  lines  of  the  lot  a  restriction  line  from  10  to  25 
feet  is  placed  according  to  the  size  and  character  of  the  lot,  so 


12  How  to  Lay  Out 

that  any  structures  in  the  form  of  barns  or  out  buildings  may 
not  cut  off  the  hght  or  deteriorate  the  vahie  of  the  next  adjoin- 
ing lot. 

Other  restrictions  are  often  placed  as  to  the  character  of 
buildings  and  the  use  of  shrubbery,  trees,  or  any  incongruous 
objects  which  would  be  detrimental  to  the  artistic  development 
of  the  neighborhood.  Well  restricted  land,  other  things  being 
equal,  is  usually  safe  property  to  secure.  Although  the  first 
cost  for  the  land  may  be  greater,  the  ultimate  success  can  be 
reasonably  assured. 

Is  the  lot  situated  so  that  the  house  and  grounds  will  receive 
a  maximum  amount  of  sunshine?  A  southerly  exposure  is 
best. 

Is  the  lot  located  so  that  the  prevailing  wind  may  be  felt  in 
the  living  rooms  of  the  house?  Usually  the  prevailing  wind 
in  summer  is  from  the  southwest.  With  this  in  mind  the 
living  rooms  of  the  house  should  he  placed  with  a  southerly  or 
westerly  exposure.  The  kitchen  can  well  be  placed  in  the 
portion  opposite  to  the  prevailing  wind  that  the  odors  may 
be  carried  away  from  the  house.  To  obtain  these  benefits  in 
special  cases  calls  for  special  plans  from  an  architect  rather 
than  a  ready  made  plan. 

A  southerly  exposure  is  also  best  for  the  treatment  of  the 
grounds  or  the  building  of  a  flower  garden,  l^ut  few  plants 
can  gi-ow  in  the  shade.     See  Plate  XX  and  Plans  I,  V,  and  VHI. 

Are  the  views,  local  or  distant,  satisfactory?  The  best  views 
should  be  ol^tained  if  i)ossil)le  from  the  living  rooms  of  the 
house.  The  local  views  of  the  })rospective  site  may  be  charm- 
ing, but  the  views  of  the  distance  may  be  of  such  a  character 
as  poor  factories,  stone  quarries,  barren  cemeteries,  stagnant 
pools,  barns,  etc.,  that  they  cannot  be  obliterated  either  by 
planting  or  by  structural  means. 

In  choosing  the  site  some  cheap  land  may  be  offered  because 
the  irregularities  of  the  surface^  th(^  inaccessibility  from  the 
street,  or  the  need  for  filling  cause  added  expense.     These  lots 


/^     '^   <r-~h    f^'"^  «^^    <r-:'-^    (T-^        ' 


&- 


Scale  of  Feet 

10         20  30        «  50 


Plan  I.     Preliminary  plan  for  treatment  of  level  open  lot. 
(Area  about  one  acre.) 


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Suburban  Home  Grounds.  15 

appear  at  first  thought  to  be  absolutely  worthless  because 
there  is  apparently  no  development  possible  upon  the  first 
investigation.  Yet  for  the  exception  of  the  increased  cost  of 
development  the  lot  is  an  acceptable  one.  These  waste  lots 
often  give  an  opportunity  for  originality  of  treatment  of  homes 
that  are  unique. 


\6  How  to  Lay  Out 


CHAPTER  in. 

True  art  is  expressive  before  it  is  beautiful 
at  its  height  it  is  still  the  adornment  of  a 
service.  —  Charles  Eliot. 

N  the  choice  of  a  home  site  the  practical  uses  must 
not  be  overlooked.  There  must  be  reason  and  con- 
venience in  arrangement  before  the  beautifying 
features  are  introduced.  Notwithstanding  the  im- 
pression that  art  is  not  practical  it  is  worthy  of  note,  as  keen 
observers  will  find,  that  in  the  works  of  the  masters  of  the  land- 
scape art  there  is  a  simplicity  that  is  charming,  a  convenience 
that  is  reasonable  and  direct.  The  practical  utilities  are  made 
the  means  of  expressing  the  beauties  of  art  whether  in  beauty 
of  line  and  direction,  contour  or  shapeliness,  or  the  disposition 
of  the  embellishments  of  trees  and  shrubs. 

There  is  a  prevalent  idea  that  there  must  be  a  front  yard 
and  a  back  yard  to  every  estate.  The  front  is  to  be  neat  and 
well  kept,  while  the  back  yard  is  neglected  and  considered 
waste  space.     See  Plates  VI  and  VII. 

This  notion  is  fast  passing  away  and  the  desire  for  privacy 
has  led  to  the  development  of  the  lawn  or  garden  front.  In- 
stead of  the  refuse  and  offal  boxes  being  scattered  about  the 
premises  they  are  carefully  placed  in  an  inclosure  near  the 
kitchen  entrance.     See  Plates  XXIII  and  XXIV. 

The  practical  adaptability  of  the  house  to  the  site  is  worthy 
of  serious  thought.  Of  the  many  types  the  level  open  lot  is  the 
easiest  and  cheapest  to  develop  and  almost  any  type  of  Jiouse 
is  adaptable,  as  the  whole  surroundings  are  to  be  made.  See 
Plans  I  and  V. 

The  expense  for  gi'ading  will  be  light  about  the  house,  which 
is  often  an  important  item.  The  greatest  disadvantage  of  an 
open  lot  is  the  necessity  of  waiting  years  for  n(>wly  planted 


Plate  VI.     Treatment  of  the  "  Back  Yard  "'  into  a  simple  lawn  and  garden 
surrounded  by  flowering  shrubs  and  herbaceous  perennials. 


I't'dJjBI^BB^SSl^^ 


_-:i£4bkL4Rsii^ 


Plate  VII.     The  rear  of  the  house  designed  as  a  terrace  garden  with  a 
sundial  for  central  feature. 


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Suburban  Home  Grounds.  19 

trees  and  shrubs  to  mature.  If  there  are  good  trees  existing 
on  the  land  every  effort  should  be  made  to  save  them.  Often 
the  only  characteristic  feature  is  one  fine  tree  existing  where 
the  house  usually  would  be  set.  The  style  and  shape  of  the 
house  should  be  studied  that  the  tree  may  be  saved  and  give 
emphasis  to  the  home.  Difficult  conditions  in  the  hand  of  the 
master  will  result  in  convenience  and  art  coml^ined.  Too  many 
house  plans  are  made  on  paper  without  reference  to  the  natural 
conditions  of  the  ground,  or  the  future  development.  See 
Plates  II  and  XV. 

Side  hill  lots  are  the  most  difficult  to  treat  successfully. 
Ingenuity  and  often  large  expense  is  necessary  to  secure  a 
convenient  and  artistic  arrangement.  For  such  lots  the  long 
narrow  house  is  the  best.  This  shape  of  house  will  avoid  exces- 
sively high  rear  basement  walls.     See  Plate  XXI. 

A  free  hand  may  be  had  in  open  hill  side  lots,  but  in  wooded 
ones  the  problem  is  more  difficult.  It  is  usually  desirable  to 
save  as  many  of  the  valuable  existing  trees  as  possible. 
Retaining  walls  may  be  needed  to  support  the  walks  or  drive- 
ways and  to  avoid  filling  against  an  especially  fine  tree. 

In  side  hill  lots  there  is  the  one  with  the  land  sloping  upward 
from  the  street  level  and  the  land  sloping  downward. 

On  the  land  above,  the  immediate  street  front  between  the 
house  and  the  street  may  be  either  sloped  with  graceful  banks, 
terraced  in  earth  and  grassed,  or  walled.     See  Plate  XXVI. 

The  land  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  house,  or  rear,  must  be 
shaped  so  the  surface  drainage  from  the  land  above  will  be 
carried  away  from  the  house.  If  the  land  is  not  too  steep  the 
earth  may  be  excavated  and  shaped  so  the  water  will  collect 
in  a  hollow  and  run  away  at  the  sides  of  the  house.  If  that  is 
not  possible  a  wall  can  be  built  with  a  catch  basin  in  the  lowest 
point  connected  with  drains  to  remove  the  surface  water.  The 
house  may  be  designed  to  fit  the  slope,  stepping,  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  remove  the  buried  effect  so  often  seen  in  side 
hill  work. 


20  How  to  Lay  Out 

On  the  land  below  the  street  the  house  is  usually  placed  high 
enough  so  the  earth  may  be  filled  against  the  cellar  wall  and 
get  a  slight  drainage  for  the  surface  water  away  from  the  build- 
ing to  the  street.  This  leaves  the  opposite  front  or  rear  well 
out  of  ground,  and  often  gives  the  house  an  appearance  as  if 
sliding  off  the  hill.  To  obviate  this  effect  a  stone  wall  or  earth 
terrace  may  be  built  broad  enough  to  form  a  good  foundation 
for  the  house  to  rest  upon.  If  there  is  material  enough  avail- 
able, the  base  may  be  broadened  out  and  a  natural  treatment 
secured.  This  base  gives  opportunities  for  a  terrace  formal 
garden  which  may  be  viewed  from  the  rooms  of  the  house. 
From  this  level  place,  steps  can  lead  down  to  the  orchard  or 
vegetable  garden.  See  Plates  XIX  and  XXI,  and  Plans  I,  VII, 
VIII,  XII,  and  XV. 

In  exceedingly  steep  land  it  may  be  necessary  to  locate  the 
house  below  the  street  grade.  There  should  be  ample  space 
between  the  side  line  of  the  street  and  the  house  front  to  allow 
for  shaping  of  the  land  so  the  surface  water  will  be  forced  to  run 
away  from  the  house  on  either  side,  or  the  street  may  be  held 
by  a  retaining  wall  and  steps  lead  down  to  the  house.  In  this 
latter  case  it  will  be  necessary  to  use  the  catch  basin  and  drain. 

The  down  hill  buried  effect  may  be  greatly  relieved  by  a 
proper  selection  of  plants. 


Plate  VIII.     Walled  flower  garden,  street  side,  wisteria  in  full  bloom. 


Plate  IX.     Walled  flower  garden,  in.side  looking  towards  gate,  box  bordered 

walk. 


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Suburban  Home  Grounds.  23 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Give  a  man  the  secure  possession  of  a  bleak 
rock,  and  he  will  turn  it  into  a  garden;  give 
him  a  nine  years'  lease  of  a  garden  and  he  will 
convert  it  into  a  desert.  —  Arthur  Young. 

jjITH  the  iiurchase  of  the  home  site  is  deeded  the 
satisfaction  and  responsibihties  of  ownership.  Im- 
niodiately  the  flights  of  imagination  carry  the  home 
!)uilder  into  dreams  of  possessing  so  many  different 
desirable  features  that  his  mind  becomes  an  enigma.  The 
puzzle  grows  harder  and  there  is  loss  chance  of  a  good  solution 
as  he  walks  about  the  plot.  In  imagination  the  house  is  to  be 
here,  and  the  drive  there,  with  the  flower  garden  at  the  side. 
Everything  appears  easy  at  first,  then  comes  a  consciousness 
that  there  must  be  a  way  to  solve  the  mystery  in  a  lousiness- 
like  straightforward  manner. 

The  first  step  towards  a  solution  is  to  make  a  survey  plot  or  a 
topographical  map  of  the  ground  to  a  convenient  scale.  Mod- 
erate sized  lots  can  be  measured  by  the  ordinary  method  of  a 
tape  measure  and  2  foot  rule.  The  measurements  taken  can 
be  plotted  on  a  piece  of  drawing  paper  or,  if  that  is  not  avail- 
able, a  common  ordinary  sheet  of  heavy  brown  wrapping  paper. 
Make  the  drawing  on  a  scale  of  |-  inch  to  the  foot,  showing 
the  position  of  the  boundaries  of  the  property,  the  location 
of  any  natural  features  such  as  trees,  boulders,  and  shrubs 
which  may  be  used  in  developing  the  grounds.  Then  if  the 
ground  slopes  the  use  of  a  carpenter's  level  and  a  pole  10  feet 
in  length  will  give  the  difl'erence  in  the  height  of  the  gi-ound 
approximately.  To  get  the  elevation  set  the  carpenter's  level 
firmly  in  a  permanent  place,  make  level  and  sight  along  the 
top  of  the  level  to  the  10  foot  pole  held  in  the  hands  of  an 
assistant,   then   by   measurement   the   difference   between    the 


24  How  to  Lay  Out 

point  where  the  Hne  of  sight  strikes  the  pole  and  the  ground 
will  be  the  elevation  to  be  placed  upon  the  plan.  For  conven- 
ience it  is  a  good  plan  to  assume  the  top  of  the  level  at  100,  and 
every  measurement  down  as  the  land  varies  in  height  will  be 
below  100,  as  96  feet  0  inches  or  91  feet  7  inches.  These  meas- 
urements must  then  be  placed  upon  the  plan  in  a  position  to 
agree  with  the  point  in  which  they  were  taken  upon  the  ground. 
The  land  can  be  divided  into  squares  of  10  feet  or  20  feet  for 
convenience  of  locating  the  measurements.     See  Plan  VII. 

Locate  also  the  street,  curb,  grass  strip,  and  sidewalk  and 
the  proper  heights  on  the  property  line  to  which  it  will  be 
necessary  to  grade.  If  there  are  poles,  trees,  hydrants,  or 
sewer  manholes  between  the  street  and  sidewalk  they  should 
also  be  located  that  they  may  be  taken  into  consideration  in 
designing  the  approaches  to  the  house.  If  the  site  is  too  diffi- 
cult for  this  simple  home-made  method  a  surveyor  can  be 
secured  to  get  the  information.  The  one  foot  contours  of  ele- 
vation with  all  the  natural  and  artificial  features  should  be 
shown  upon  the  plan.    See  Plans  II,  X,  XIII,  and  XIV. 

Surveyors  usually  make  the  plans  on  the  10  foot,  20  foot,  or 
40  foot  scale  according  to  the  size  or  detail  of  the  lot  reciuired. 
On  all  plans  be  sure  and  place  a  north  point.  The  north  point 
may  be  obtained  by  taking  the  direction  of  the  shadow  cast 
by  a  pole  at  12  o'clock  at  noon  from  some  known  point  on  the 
ground  and  drawing  the  line  upon  the  plan.  This  is  especially 
useful  in  th(*  study  of  the  house  and  the  grounds.  Thc^  plan 
mad(;  should  represent  the  lot. 

The  next  step  is  to  make  a  rough  preliminary  outline  of  the 
house  showing  the  location  of  the  rooms  desired  in  their  rela- 
tion one  to  the  other. 

With  the  preliminary  outline  of  the  house  and  the  survey 
plot  the  process  of  development  can  begin.  Place  the  outline 
of  the  house  on  the  survey  in  the  position  thought  of  on  the 
ground,  whether  25  feet  or  more  from  the  street  line  and  the 
supposed  position  from  the  side  line.     Then  study  th(>  loca- 


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2     Ci. 


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Suburban  Home  Grounds.  29 

tion  of  walks,  drives,  gardens,  lawns,  and  tennis  courts  in  their 
relation  to  the  house  and  to  each  other.  See  Plans  III,  IX, 
and  XV. 

The  height  of  the  first  floor  above  the  street  should  be  deter- 
mined, allowing  for  the  height  of  the  under  pinning  of  the  house 
and  the  necessary  slopes  to  the  street.  At  this  point  if  there 
is  much  difference  in  elevation  a  cross  section  should  be  made 
to  assist  in  determining  the  height.     See  Plan  XI. 

Before  going  too  far,  examine  the  practical  points  such  as 
the  coal  delivery,  the  delivery  of  supplies  to  the  house,  the 
relation  of  the  living  room  windows  to  the  sun  and  to  the  lawn 
or  garden.  There  may  also  appear  difficulties  in  grade  for 
the  walks  or  drives  which  will  need  adjustment.     See  Plate  XX. 

That  which  is  usually  carried  in  the  mind's  eye  on  the  ground 
will  appear  out  of  place  and  awkward  when  drawn  on  paper 
and  studied.  Drives  that  would  seem  easy  enough  in  grade,  and 
graceful  in  alignment,  will  be  found  to  be  excessively  steep 
and  crooked  when  drawn  and  figured.  The  supposed  position 
for  a  lawn  or  flower  garden  will  be  found  to  be  impossible.  The 
bulkhead  or  coalhole  may  need  to  be  moved  or  a  flight  of  steps 
or  a  door  introduced  into  the  design  of  the  house  in  order  that 
access  to  the  lawn  or  garden  may  be  made  direct.  After- 
thoughts in  building  are  always  expensive,  and  there  are  many 
examples  of  what  "not  to  do"  in  the  houses  and  grounds  that 
have  been  carelessly  constructed.     See  Plans  VII  and  VIII. 

The  outlines  of  the  beds  of  shrubs  and  position  of  the  trees 
are  then  added  to  the  preliminary  sketch,  but  not  until  all  the 
practical  points  have  been  determined.  There  must  be  a  use 
for  every  portion  of  the  grounds  the  same  as  there  is  for  the 
house,  whether  for  service,  pleasure,  or  adornment.  If  the 
problem  is  too  difficult  an  experienced  landscape  architect 
will  be  of  assistance  in  sifting  the  chaff  from  the  wheat  in 
the  ideas  and  give  unity  and  originality  to  the  scheme. 

Having  determined  the  preliminary  sketch  the  next  step  is 
to  enter  more  into  detail  of  both  house  and  grounds. 


30  How  to  Lay  Out 

At  this  point,  if  the  home  builder  has  not  sufficient  confi- 
dence or  knowledge  (and  most  men  are  wise  enough  to  know 
their  deficiencies)  to  carry  out  in  detail  the  plans  for  the  house 
an  architect  should  be  consulted.  When  the  architect's  plans 
are  completed  and  the  specifications  are  drawn,  the  wise  man 
plans  his  gi-ounds  in  detail,  or  calls  in  a  landscape  architect  to 
make  a  plan  that  will  use  all  the  materials  excavated  econom- 
ically. The  plan  is  called  a  grading  or  working  plan.  It  will 
show  the  excavation  and  fills  to  be  made  to  get  the  desired 
shape,  the  location  of  the  walks,  drives,  etc.,  with  their  proper 
grades  and  indicate  the  depth  of  topsoil  to  be  used  for  a  lawn, 
garden,  or  for  planting  beds.     See  Plan  IV. 

A  specification  accompanying  the  plan  should  state  the 
character  of  work  and  kind  of  materials  required. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  complete  all  the  work  planned  at  one 
time;  a  portion  can  be  carried  out  with  the  excavated  materials 
from  the  cellar.  The  remainder  of  the  work  can  be  completed 
from  time  to  time  as  funds  become  availal)le. 

By  thus  working  to  a  definite  end,  the  completed  whole  will 
eventually  be  secured.  The  work  should  be  thorouglily  done 
for  good  results. 


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Plate  X.  Drive  located  ou  simple  cui'ves  at  side  of  property,  carriage  turn  close  to 
kitchen  door  and  laundry  yard.  Visitors  alight  halfway  up  the  drive.  Shrubbery 
border  screens  drive  from  house  lawn. 


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Suburban  Home  Grounds.  35 


CHAPTER  V. 

What  is  worth  doing  at  all  is  worth  doing  well. 

GOOD  design  needs  good  construction.  The  execu- 
tion is  often  beset  by  many  difficulties  largely  caused 
l)y  lack  of  knowledge  or  the  failure  to  appreciate  the 
value  of  good  work.  Man  can  judge  of,  and  will  ])ay 
for,  a  good  piece  of  wood  or  stone  work,  but  in  the  grounds  there 
is  often  an  effort  to  save  expense  at  the  loss  of  good  results. 

By  all  means  the  use  of  poor  soil  or  rubbish  should  be  avoided 
in  the  filling,  as  it  will  show  later  when  an  attempt  is  made 
to  grow  grass  or  shrubs.  The  disposition  of  the  subsoil  and 
the  topsoil  must  be  carefully  watched.  Not  every  man  who 
can  handle  a  shovel  well  can  grade  well;  the  workmanship  of 
the  skilled  artisan  is  displayed  even  in  this  menial  type  of 
work.  A  man  with  good  judgment  will  save  extra  expense 
by  scheming  the  work  to  avoid  much  double  handling  of  soil. 

A  good  way  is  to  clear  the  topsoil  from  a  small  area  in  both 
the  portions  to  be  excavated  or  filled,  and  pile  the  soil  in  some 
convenient  yet  out  of  the  way  place.  Then  make  the  exca- 
vation or  the  fills,  and  when  more  area  is  needed  to  work  on, 
clear  away  some  more  topsoil  and  place  it  over  the  filled  subsoil 
in  its  permanent  position. 

In  grading  or  shaping  the  ground  every  effort  should  be 
made  to  have  the  slopes  graceful  and  smooth.  There  is  a  line 
of  beauty  known  as  the  ogee  curve,  which  can  be  used  in 
grading  with  as  good  results  as  by  artists  in  their  work.  See 
Plan  XL 

In  making  the  side  slopes  to  a  drive  or  walk,  care  should  be 
taken  to  grade  them  to  graceful  lines  and  make  them  soften 
into  the  adjoining  grounds,  avoiding  any  sharp  or  abrupt 
angles.     If  anyone  observes  the  natvn-al  slopes  which  occur  in 


36  How  to  Lay  Out 

fields  they  will  see  that  there  are  no  harsh  lines,  and  wherever 
man  has  made  excavations,  nature  is  trying  to  soften  the  sharp 
edges  and  remove  the  ugly  defects. 

The  location  of  a  drive  is  important  to  its  success.  It  should 
conform  to  the  topography  and  shape  of  the  land.  It  should 
be  planned  to  save  any  valuable  existing  features  or  a  fine 
boulder,  a  good  tree,  a  ledge  or  a  gi'oup  of  desirable  shrubs. 
Drives  are  means  of  ingress  and  egi*ess,  and  should  serve  these 
piu-poses  quickly.  The  direction  should  be  made  very  simple; 
unnecessary  crooks  and  turns  are  only  awkward,  not  beauti- 
ful. After  once  entering  the  property  and  having  seen  the 
house,  it  is  a  poor  plan  to  make  the  drive  meander  about.  It 
should  be  made  as  direct  as  possible.  To  the  moderate  home, 
there  should  be  some  reason  for  building  the  drive  other  than 
for  the  delivery  of  coal.  The  added  expense  of  basketing 
the  coal  at  25  cents  per  ton  is  more  than  offset  by  the  cost  of 
the  maintenance  of  the  drive.     See  Plates  X  and  XVIII. 

It  is  a  poor  plan  to  make  the  house  appear  like  an  oasis  in 
the  desert  by  the  encircling  of  the  drive.  The  drive  surface  is 
not  very  handsome  in  itself  and  should  not  be  made  wider  or 
more  extensive  than  is  necessary.  Lawns,  shrubberies,  and 
trees  are  more  to  be  desired  than  barren  drives.  Many  a  beau- 
tiful lawn  has  been  separated  from  the  house  and  spoiled  for 
enjoyment  by  a  poorly  located  or  unnecessary  drive.  If  there 
are  no  existing  features  to  be  saved  or  as  a  guidance  or  excuse 
for  a  curve  it  may  be  necessary  to  plant  trees  and  shrubbery 
to  give  reason  for  the  direction  planned.  Never  use  a  flower 
bed  or  small  architectural  object  or. an  urn;  they  are  too  trivial. 

The  width  of  the  drive  is  determined  by  the  frequency  of 
use.  If  the  distance  is  short  and  there  is  but  little  driving 
a  width  of  9  or  10  feet  is  ample.  If  the  distance  is  longer  or 
where  there  is  need  for  carriages  passing  each  other,  the  drive 
should  be  made  14  or  16  feet  in  width.  On  no  account  should 
a  drive  be  made  12  feet  in  width,  as  it  is  too  wide  for  a  single 
drive  and  not  wide  enough  for  two  vehicles  to  pass  without 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  37 

damaging  the  turf  edge.  It  is  a  very  deceptive  width  to  per- 
sons driving  and  meeting  another  carriage  as  it  looks  wider 
than  it  really  is.  A  muddy  drive  is  a  poor  introduction  to  the 
home  grounds.  The  surface  drainage  from  the  land  adjoin- 
ing the  drive  and  the  drainage  of  the  drive  itself  may  need 
to  be  taken  care  of  by  means  of  subsoil  drains. 

If  the  subsoil  is  clay  or  very  wet,  underdrains  should  be 
used  on  the  sides  or  in  the  middle  of  the  drive.  This  is  done 
by  digging  a  narrow  trench  3  feet  or  4  feet  below  the  proposed 
finished  surface  and  laying  2  inch  or  3  inch  agi-icultural  tile  at 
the  bottom  of  the  trench  in  such  a  slope  that  the  water  will  run 
tlirough  them.  The  joints  of  the  tile  should  be  covered  with  bur- 
lap or  tile  collars  used  in  addition  to  prevent  the  joints  becom- 
ing clogged.  The  water  passes  largely  from  the  land  into  the 
tile  through  the  joint.  In  filling  in  the  trench,  fu-st  throw 
some  hay,  stone,  or  inverted  sod  over  the  tile,  then  spread  a 
layer  about  6  inches  in  depth  of  small  field  stone,  broken  stone, 
or  coarse  gravel  as  an  additional  means  of  drainage.  After 
this  is  done  the  soil  may  be  refilled  and  tamped  with  a  rammer. 

The  surface  water  can  be  taken  care  of  by  forming  a  gi-oove 
or  turf  gutter  at  the  side  of  the  drive  or  by  building  a  narrow 
gutter  of  stone  or  brick. 

If  there  is  a  large  quantity  of  water  flowing  from  the  adjoin- 
ing surface  it  may  be  necessary  to  use  a  catch  basin.  A  very 
economical  way  to  build  one  is  to  use  three  lengths  of  vitrified 
sewer  pipe,  20  inches  in  diameter,  set  on  end.  On  top,  an  iron 
grating  is  set  to  fit  into  the  bell  of  the  pipe.  The  middle  length 
of  the  pipe  should  have  a  "T"  outlet  usually  about  6  inches 
in  diameter. 

From  this  the  drains  can  be  connected  and  laid  to  the  desired 
point  of  discharge.  Smaller  sized  catch  basins  can  be  built 
to  take  care  of  a  smaller  flow  of  surface  water. 

The  joints  of  the  pipe  should  be  all  sealed  with  cement  mor- 
tar, and  it  is  a  good  plan  to  set  the  bottom  upright  pipe  in 
cement.    This  then  forms  a  catch  basin  that  will  hold  the  debris 


38  How  to  Lay  Out 

running  into  the  basin.  This  basin  will  need  to  be  cleaned 
out  occasionally.  This  is  done  by  removing  the  grating  and 
using  a  long  handled  shovel.  The  drain  pipes  should  be  laid 
on  an  inclination  sufficient  to  get  good  flow. 

In  excavating  for  the  drive  all  the  topsoil  and  poor  subsoil 
should  be  removed  to  a  depth  of  2  feet  if  necessar}',  and  a  foun- 
dation replaced  of  good  clean  material,  gravel  or  refuse  stone. 
The  bottom  should  then  be  brought  to  a  rounding  surface, 
allowing  for  the  depth  of  the  finishing  material,  gi-avel,  ma- 
cadam, or  Telford. 

If  there  is  but  little  travel,  a  gravel  drive  will  be  satisfactory. 
It  can  be  built  by  using  two  layers  of  gravel  -4  inches  in  thick- 
ness. The  bottom  layer  should  contain  the  larger  stones  or 
coarser  part  of  the  gravel  and  rolled  to  a  fine  surface.  On  this 
layer  the  finishing  4  inch  layer  can  be  placed.  This  should 
be  good  binding  gravel  with  the  larger  stones  raked  out.  Then 
the  surface  should  be  rolled  smooth  and  to  a  rounding  shape 
or  crown  of  ^  inch  to  the  foot  at  the  sides  and  round  in  the 
middle.  It  seldom  happens  that  gravel  can  be  obtained  of  the 
required  cjuality  in  the  pit.  If  the  gravel  is  too  coarse  it  should 
be  screened  through  a  2^  inch  mesh  screen.  A  two  and  one 
half  ton  horse  ring  roller  is  the  best  to  use  for  rolling  the  drive 
on  small  grounds. 

If  there  is  more  driving,  or  there  is  not  a  good  quality  or 
quantity  of  gravel  in  the  neighborhood,  a  macadam  drive 
should  be  made.  This  can  be  built  by  using  4  inches  of  cruslu^l 
stone  of  the  1^  inch  size,  laid  and  sliaped  in  the  same  manner 
as  for  the  gravel  drive  and  rolled  to  a  firm  surface.  On  this 
rolled  surface  is  next  placed  a  1  inch  layer  of  smaller  crushed 
stones  and  screenings  mixed.  This  should  be  watered-and 
rolled  until  a  smooth  hard  surface  is  obtained.  The  same 
crown  should  be  made  in  finishing  as  described  for  the  gravel 
drive. 

If  there  is  a  great  amount  of  use,  or  if  there  is  a  large  (juan- 
tity  of  stone  on  the  grounds,  a  Telford  drive  can  be  built  on  a 


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UBHARY 

OFTl^E 

UNIVERSITV  OF  ILLINOIS 


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UBHARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  43 

foundation  shaped  1  foot  below  the  proposed  finished  surface. 
The  bottom  layer  of  stone  is  composed  of  pieces  of  broken, 
stone  averaging  8  inches  in  size,  set  upon  end.  The  spaces 
between  the  larger  stones  are  filled  and  wedged  with  smaller 
pinning  stones.  On  this  bottom  foundation  layer  a  3  inch 
layer  of  the  medium  size  H  inch  or  2^  inch  crushed  stone 
should  be  placed  and  thoroughly  rolled  until  smooth.  After 
this  has  been  done  a  finishing  layer  1  inch  in  thickness 
of  small  crushed  stones  and  screenings  mixed  should  be  placed, 
rolled,  and  watered  until  a  smooth  hard  surface  is  obtained. 
If  necessary  a  little  clay  or  binding  gravel  may  be  used  for  a 
binder  in  the  finishing  courses. 

The  grades  of  the  drive  should  be  as  easy  as  possible;  an 
approach  or  main  entrance  drive  should  not  have  over  5 
feet  rise  in  the  100  feet,  a  service  drive  not  over  7  feet. 
In  extreme  cases  it  may  be  necessary  to  increase  these  figures 
to  10  feet  in  the  100. 

Walks  or  paths  are  designed  and  built  on  the  same  deter- 
mining principles.  There  should  be  some  reason  for  their 
being:  as,  to  go  to  an  arbor,  a  tennis  coiu-t,  the  doors  of  the 
house,  or  other  buildings.  Mere  meandering  walks  without 
any  occasion  for  their  use  are  not  objects  of  beauty.  They 
may  be  constructed  either  of  gi-avel  or  macadam,  and  the  widths 
vary  from  2  to  8  feet  according  to  the  purpose  to  be  served. 
The  grade  of  the  walk  should  be  as  easy  as  possible,  never  over 
12  feet  in  100.  A  crown  of  ^  inch  to  the  foot  on  the  sides  and 
rounding  in  the  middle  is  ample  for  a  walk.  See  Plates  XXI 
and  XXII. 

In  steeper  slopes  where  it  is  desirable  to  carry  a  walk,  steps 
should  be  used  to  overcome  the  steep  gi-adc.  These  can  be 
built  to  fit  the  ground  or  may  be  short  flights  with  a  short 
run  of  walk  between  each  flight.  The  steps  may  be  built  of 
wootl,  stone,  or  brick.     See  Plate  XI. 

When  there  is  but  little  use,  yet  a  means  or  communication 
is  desired,  stepping  stones  should  be  substituted  for  the  walk. 


44  How  to  Lay  Out 

This  will  remove  the  effect  of  the  walk  dividing  the  lawn  and 
reduce  the  maintenance  to  a  mininmm.  Stepping  stones  are 
made  by  using  slabs  of  stone  or  flat  boulders  set  into  the  lawn 
flush  with  the  surrounding  surface.  A  good  distance  apart 
for  the  stones  for  convenient  walking  is  22  inches  on  centres. 
If  settlements  should  take  place  on  the  lawn  about  each  stone, 
it  is  a  very  easy  matter  to  raise  or  lower  them  to  conform  to 
the  surface.  If  they  are  kept  at  the  proper  elevation  a  lawn 
mower  will  pass  over  and  cut  the  grass  without  the  need  of 
using  shears  along  the  edges  as  is  often  used  in  other  kinds  of 
walks.    See  Plates  III  and  XIII. 

A  clean  yet  more  expensive  method  is  to  build  the  walk  of 
brick.  A  good  foundation  should  be  made  to  avoid  settle- 
ments. If  the  work  is  properly  done  there  will  be  no  repairs. 
The  bricks  can  be  laid  herringbone  fashion,  lengthwise,  cross- 
wise of  the  walk,  or  in  various  patterns.  A  little  curb  edge 
may  be  formed  along  the  side  of  the  walk  by  elevating  a  brick 
on  its  side  about  an  inch  above  the  general  surface  and  the 
earth  filled  flush  with  the  top.  The  color  of  the  brick  should 
harmonize  with  the  building  and  its  surroundings.  Yellow 
brick  should  be  avoided,  red  is  the  most  pleasing  color  to  use. 
See  Plate  XIX. 

The  use  of  artificial  stone,  often  called  granolithic,  makes  a 
good  but  more  expensive  walk.  The  foundation  for  this  kind 
of  walk  must  be  thoroughly  made  and  good  under  drainage 
provided  to  avoid  disturbance  by  the  action  of  frost.  It  may 
be  necessary  to  remove  poor  or  clayey  soil  to  a  depth  of  3  feet 
and  the  space  filled  with  dry  gravel,  broken  stone,  or  boiler 
cinders;  the  depth  will  vary  to  suit  the  locality.    See  Plate  XV. 

The  walk  is  then  divided  into  sections  varying  from  3  to  6 
f(>et  square  1)}'  the  use  of  strips  of  wood  nailed  to  stakes  driven 
mto  the  ground.  If  settlement  takes  place,  each  block  will  sepa- 
i-ate  as  a  single  stone  without  cracking.  The  stones  can  be  laid 
alternately  or  continuously  by  sanding  the  joint,  or  with  a  strip 
of  paper  placed  between  before  laying  the  next  block  adjoin- 


Pi-ATK  XIII.     Stepping  stones  to  overcome  giade  to  street  end  ot  terrace 

garden. 


Plaik  XIV. 


Well    built    wall,  note    raked    out    joints   and    slight    batter. 
Turnstile  instead  of  gate. 


UBfiARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Plate  X\'.     Kitchen  entrance  screened  in  combination  with  laundry  yard. 
Celastrus  scandens  (bitter  sweet)  on  archwav. 


Plate  XVI.     A  laundry  yard  fence  designed  in  harmony  with  the  house. 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  49 

ing.  The  bottom  layer  of  the  walk  is  usually  laid  3  inches  in 
thickness,  composed  of  one  part  best  American  Portland 
cement,  two  parts  clean,  sharp  sand,  and  four  or  five  parts 
broken  stone.  .After  the  bottom  layer  is  thoroughly  rammed, 
a  finishing  layer  one  inch  in  thickness  is  laid,  composed  of  one 
part  cement  and  one  and  one  half  parts  clean,  sharp  sand  or 
one  part  cement  and  two  parts  stone  dust. 

The  surface  is  then  finished  smooth  with  proper  tools  and 
protected  from  the  weather  by  coverings  until  the  surface  is 
firm  and  hard. 

The  rate  of  grade  in  a  granolithic  walk  should  not  be  over 
5  feet  in  100  feet,  never  over  7;  a  safe  rule  is  to  use  it  only 
on  walks  that  bluestone  flag  stones  would  be  used.  The 
surface  is  so  smooth  that  it  is  dangerously  slippery  when  too 
steep.  The  color  of  the  walk  can  be  varied  to  red  or  slate  by 
the  use  of  coloring  pigment.  Slate  blue  color  may  be  obtained 
by  the  use  of  lamp  black;  slate  color  is  obtained  by  the  use  of 
one  pound  of  lamp  black  to  a  barrel  of  cement.  Red  color  is 
obtained  either  by  the  use  of  red  sand  or  ground  red  sandstone 
or  Venetian  red  or  both  mixed.  Reds  are  liable  to  fade.  The 
limit  of  color  is  five  pounds  to  the  barrel  of  cement. 

Another  method  for  walks  and  drives  is  the  penetration 
method.  The  foundation  layers  are  laid  in  the  same  manner 
as  outlined  for  Telford  and  Macadam  work.  The  lower  layers 
are  filled  ^vith  screenings,  sand,  or  gravel  and  the  upper  layers 
are  rolled  and  bound  ^^ith  bituminous  materials,  either  a 
mixture  of  pitch  and  tar  or  asphalt.  There  are  several  brands 
known  to  the  trade  with  varying  merits  according  to  the  uses 
of  the  di'ive  or  walk.  The  finish  of  these  surfaces  are  made 
with  pea  stone  rolled  into  the  first  coat  and  on  the  second 
coat  of  the  preparation  screenings  are  spread  and  rolled  in  to 
get  the  macadam  appearance. 


50  How  to  Lay  Out 


CHAPTER  VI. 

And  some  praise  must  be  allowed  by  the  most 
scrupulous  observer  to  him  who  does  best 
what  multitudes  are  contending  to  do  well.  — 
S.  Johnson. 

ANCY  free  the  dreamer  thinks  of  arbors,  seats,  and 
cool  retreats,  yet  to  build  and  make  real  in  lines  of 
beauty  is  no  dream.  An  arl^or  in  the  grounds  may 
form  a  vista  point  in  the  landscape,  be  the  excuse 
for  ending  a  walk  or  the  means  of  commanding  a  fine  view  that 
otherwise  would  not  be  seen  from  the  house.  If  near  the  house, 
it  should  be  designed  to  be  in  keeping  with  the  architecture  of 
the  building.  If  at  some  distance  away  from  the  house  spruce 
poles,  cedar  slabs,  or  roots  make  good  work.  It  is  usually 
better  to  have  a  floor  raised  at  least  one  step  from  the  gi'ound. 
It  is  a  good  plan  before  building  to  observe  structures  that 
have  been  built  by  others  and  note  if  they  are  inharmonious 
with  the  house  and  grounds.  Then  avoid  these  in  building  on 
the  home  grounds.  The  more  dignified  name  for  an  arbor  is  a 
pergola  (the  name  is  wrongly  used),  useful  to  inclose  a  lawn, 
a  flower  garden,  or  help  hide  some  objectional^le  feature  in 
the  neighl)orhood.  It  should  look  when  built  as  if  it  belonged 
to  the  place  and  not  appear  as  if  dropped  by  a  passing  wind 
A\ithout  relation  to  the  house  or  lawn.  See  Plans  V,  and  Xlll 
and  Plate  XIX. 

Grape  or  flowering  vin(>s  can  l)e  grown  over  it  making  on  hot 
summer  days  a  pleasant  retreat  from  the  heat  of  the  house. 
See  Plates  VIII,  IX  and  XXI. 

A  seat  to  end  a  walk  or  command  a  view  is  better  built  on 
plain  and  unobtrusive  lines.  If  l)ui  t  more  on  the  style  of  an 
old  fash  oned  bench  or  form,  it  wil  be  less  conspicuous  than 
the  many  commercial  designs  offered  for  sale. 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  51 

The  arbor  or  pergola  may  be  planned  so  as  to  form  one  side 
of  the  laundry  or  clothes  drying  yard,  helping  to  make  a  very 
desirable  feature.     S('(>  Plates  XV  and  XVI. 

If  a  laundry  yard  fence  is  to  be  built  it  should  be  about 
7  feet  high,  and  designed  architecturally  correct.  The  posts 
of  such  a  fence  may  be  either  of  red  cedar,  white  cedar,  chest- 
nut, or  locust,  so  that  the  chance  of  decay  will  be  largely  over- 
come. Make  the  mesh  of  the  lattice  close  enough  to  hide  the 
clothes  from  general  view,  and  yet  open  enough  to  allow  a 
circulation  of  air  to  dry  the  clothes.  The  use  of  a  laundry 
yard  should  be  encouraged  as  it  is  a  gi-eat  aid  in  keeping  the 
grounds  neat  and  helps  to  form  an  artistic  setting  when  vines 
and  shrubbery  are  well  placed.  A  very  practical  advantage 
from  the  housekeeper's  standpoint  is,  that  the  clothes  are 
shielded  from  the  gaze  of  outsiders,  and  the  despoiling  by  dogs 
or  other  animals.  The  clothes  may  also  be  laid  on  the  grass 
to  bleach  in  perfect  safety.  Spruce  poles  set  closely  together 
with  the  l)ark  left  on  make  a  good  fence.  This  kind  of  fence 
will  last  for  years  and  will  avoid  the  necessity  of  painting. 

Fences  may  be  needed  along  the  street  front  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  gi'ounds.  A  height  of  3  feet  to  3  feet  6  inches 
will  serve  all  the  purposes  required.  It  is  better  to  substitute  a 
hedge  or  border  of  shrubs  planted  about  a  concealed  wire  fence 
thus  wild  animals  are  excluded  and  the  gi'ounds  made  more 
attractive.  A  woven  wire  mesh  fence  on  the  side  lines  covered 
with  vines  makes  it  an  economical  and  good  way  to  protect 
the  grounds  from  encroaching  neighbors.  See  Plates  XXIII 
and  XXIV. 

For  more  permanent  effects  build  a  wall.  The  foundation 
of  the  wall  should  be  laid  deep  enough  to  be  below  the  work- 
ing of  frost  and  wide  enough  at  the  base  to  carry  the  wall  built 
above.  A  good  safe  rule  to  use  in  building  bank  walls  is  to 
make  the  base  one  half  the  height  in  thickness.  See  Plates 
XVIII  and  XXVI. 

Terrace  and  bank  walls  look  better  when  built  with  a  batter 


52  How  to  Lay  Out 

or  slope  on  the  outer  face.  Thus  the  tipping  over  effect  often 
seen  in  plumb  walls  will  be  obviated.    See  Plate  XIV. 

The  treatment  of  the  coping  of  the  wall  affords  an  oppor- 
tunity to  give  a  finishing  touch.  The  finish  of  the  face  of  the 
wall  and  the  manner  and  method  of  laying  the  stone,  calls  for 
taste  and  skill.  Open  joints,  with  the  mortar  raked  well  l:»ack 
from  the  face  of  the  wall,  form  a  more  pleasing  and  substantial 
treatment  than  if  the  mortar  is  smeared  on  the  surface.  Let 
the  individual  stones  stand  out.    See  Plate  XIV. 

Pleasing  effects  are  made  by  using  boulders  and  weather 
beaten  stone  laid  at  random  to  hold  a  very  steep  bank  about 
a  summer  house  or  other  artificial  object;  the  spaces  being  filled 
with  good  soil,  rock  loving  plants  may  be  induced  to  grow.  On 
no  account  should  a  rockery  be  built  in  the  centre  of  a  lawn,  it 
being  classed  as  one  of  the  incongi-uous  objects  which  help  to 
mar  the  beauty  of  the  grounds,  and  is  in  the  same  category  as 
a  red  painted  pot  filled  with  flowers  hanging  on  a  three  forked 
stick,  or  a  piece  of  sewer  pipe  for  an  ornament,  or  an  old  boat 
filled  with  earth  in  which  are  geraniums  and  nasturtiums. 

Often  a  brook  passing  through  the  home  lot  could  be  made 
use  of  in  many  ways.  If  from  a  higher  region  it  might  be 
conveyed  to  a  fountain  basin  in  the  centre  of  a  flower  garden, 
or  a  natural  treatment  can  be  made  in  the  form  of  cascades,  and 
interesting  water  plants  can  be  induced  to  gi'ow  along  the  banks. 
In  planning  or  building  the  water  basins,  whether  of  stone, 
cement,  concrete,  or  brick,  the  practical  points  must  not  be 
overlooked,  such  as  the  drainage  and  the  liability  of  damage 
by  frost. 


Plate  XVII.     Wall  built  of  boulders  and  ledge  stone  covered  with  vines. 
Top  of  stones  are  about  three  feet  above  sidewalk. 


Plate  XVIII.     Service  entrance  to  estate.     Front  entrance  court  is  about 
fifteen  feet  away  to  the  left,  screened  by  well  studied  plantation. 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  55 


CHAPTER  YII. 

One  cultivates  a  lawn  even  with  great  satis- 
faction; for  there  is  nothing  more  beautiful 
than  grass  or  turf  in  our  latitude.  The  tropics 
may  have  their  deUght  but  they  have  not 
turf;  and  the  world  without  turf  is  a  dreary 
desert.  —  Charles  Dudley  Warner. 

|HE  joy  and  delight  of  every  home  builder  is  a  good 
lawn.  "\Mthout  it  all  efforts  at  adornment  seem 
futile.  The  green  carpet  is  the  canvas  upon  which 
the  house,  trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers  depend  for  set- 
ting. How  to  obtain  a  good  lawn  and  how  to  keep  it  good,  re- 
quires more  thought  than  any  other  portion  of  the  grounds.  A 
weedy  patch,  a  brown  or  sunburned  spot  is  so  conspicuous  as  to 
need  immediate  treatment  and  is  often  hard  to  cure.  How  often 
one  sees  a  lawn  dug  over  and  reseeded  with  but  the  same  poor 
result!  The  real  secret  is  to  have  the  conditions  right,  and 
the  workmanship  and  materials  of  the  very  best.  Added  to 
these  must  be  skill  and  good  judgment  to  secure  the  results. 

The  quality  of  the  soil  and  the  subsoil  should  be  examined, 
and  if  there  is  a  deficiency  of  the  requisites  for  a  lawn,  the  lack 
should  be  supplied.  Cold,  soggy,  wet  land  must  be  improved 
by  subdraining,  and  ledgy  land  by  blasting  away  the  ledge  to  at 
least  3  feet  below  the  proposed  new  surface,  or  the  ledge  may  be 
filled  over  to  get  the  proper  depth  of  soil.  A  moist  soil  is  the 
best  for  a  lawn  with  a  slight  mixture  of  clay  or  a  clay  subsoil 
which  retains  a  certain  amount  of  moisture  yet  is  not  wet. 
Clay  may  be  added  to  very  sand}^  soil,  or  sand  to  very  heavy, 
stiff,  clayey  soil  to  get  the  proper  conditions.  If  the  soil  is 
sour,  air  slaked  lime  can  be  used  to  correct  the  acidity.  It 
is  often  thought  that  the  use  of  manure  or  fertilizer  is  a  need- 
less expense  because  it  is  buried  in  the  gi'ound  and  nothing  can 


56  How  to  Lay  Out 

be  seen  of  the  money  expended,  yet  there  is  no  surer  way  of 
securing  lasting  results  than  by  the  use  of  plenty  of  good  man- 
ure and  fertilizer. 

Manure  should  be  very  well  rotted,  mixed  stable  manure 
or  cow  manure  is  the  best.  Manure  which  contains  shavings 
or  wood  chips  is  a  very  poor  kind  for  making  a  lawn.  As  the 
wood  decays  on  the  ground  a  fungus  is  formed  which  causes 
bare  spots.  Commercial  fertilizers  may  be  used  to  advantage 
in  many  instances.  They  act,  however,  more  as  a  stimulant 
to  the  soil  than  as  a  permanent  treatment.  Manure  puts 
humus  into  the  soil  which  feeds  the  plants  after  the  commercial 
fertilizer  has  lost  its  power. 

The  practice  of  placing  manure  on  the  gi-ass  about  the  home 
in  the  fall  is  rather  disgusting  in  that  it  makes  a  barnyard 
of  the  premises  all  winter.  The  use  of  sheej)  manure  or  wood 
ashes  in  the  spring  during  the  April  rains  is  equally  as  beneficial. 
If  it  is  desired  to  use  manure,  two  or  three  weeks'  dressing  in 
the  spring  during  the  April  showers  is  more  effective  than 
manure  placed  in  the  fall  upon  the  frozen  ground.  In  the 
latter  method  all  the  fertilizing  juices  wash  away  into  the 
street  or  sidewalk. 

A  common  practice  in  building  is  to  scatter  the  excavated 
cellar  material  about  the  house  over  the  existing  topsoil,  spread 
on  top  a  few  inches  of  good  soil,  and  expect  to  get  a  good  lawn. 
As  a  good  lawn  is  dependent  on  the  quality  and  quantity  of 
the  topsoil,  it  is  desiral)le  to  remove  and  save  all  good  soil 
about  the  building.  Then  after  the  subgrading  has  been  done 
respread  the  topsoil  at  least  one  foot  in  d(^pth.  The  topsoil 
should  be  kept  clean  and  free  from  stones,  roots,  and  wchhIs. 

The  grading  or  the  shaping  of  the  ground  is  responsible  in 
many  ways  for  the  appearance  of  a  lawn.  A  slightly  convex 
surface  gives  the  appearance  of  extent,  and  one  slightly  con- 
cave of  narrowness. 

Any  ugly  banks  or  ridges  should  be  removed,  or  shap(>il  to 
secure  graceful  smooth  lines.    When  the  proper  depth  of  top- 


^■^^■'    •* 


^\-A^.  -r^ 


Platz  XIX.     Terrace  flower  garden.    Pergola  at  end.     Laundry  yard  seen 
throiigh  opening  at  left.     Dorothy  Perkins  rose  on  fence,  Phlox  in  bloom. 


!!!!!!  Hn 
r  III  III  in 


Plate  XX.     Flower  garden,  box  bordered,  adjoining  a  small  conservatory. 

p.  57 


usf;ahy 

OF  THE 
UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Plate  XXI.     Terrace  flower  garden.     House  before  liad  appearance  as  if  it 
were  sliding  off  hill.    Brick  walk  with  birch  edge. 


Plate  XXII.     Flower  bordered  walk. 


LIBFiARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  6i 

soil  and  shape  have  been  secured  the  manure  should  be  evenly 
spread  and  spaded  in  8  or  10  inches  deep.  Grasses  have  long 
roots  and  will  seek  the  manure  which  might  seem  to  be  buried 
too  deeply. 

The  manure  should  be  used  at  the  rate  of  15  to  20  cords  to 
the  acre,  depending  on  the  quality  of  the  soil  and  the  kind  of 
manure.  After  the  manure  has  been  dug  in,  a  good  commercial 
lawn  fertilizer,  at  the  rate  of  500  or  600  pounds  to  the  acre, 
should  be  used  to  act  as  a  stimulant  to  the  grass  seed.  Then 
the  ground  must  be  raked,  all  the  hollows  filled,  humps  smoothed 
and  rolled  to  an  even  surface.  When  the  ground  is  smooth, 
sow  the  seed  at  the  rate  of  about  70  pounds  to  the  acre,  then 
give  a  final  raking  or  rolling.  Nothing  but  the  very  best  lawn 
grass  seed  should  be  sowed.  The  kind  known  to  the  trade  as 
recleaned,  fancy  cleaned  is  the  best.  Buy  seed  only  of  honest, 
reliable  dealers.  A  good  mixture  for  general  purposes  is  to  take 
two  parts  Kentucky  blue  grass,  two  parts  of  Rhode  Island  Bent, 
two  parts  Red  Top,  and  one  part  white  clover.  Other  mix- 
tures of  different  proportions  and  kinds  of  seed  can  be  made 
to  suit  special  conditions. 

Weeds  will  be  a  source  of  annoyance  coming  either  from 
the  manure,  poor  seed,  or  the  soil  itself.  A  heavy  sowing 
of  seed  to  form  a  thick  mat  will  help  to  kill  out  the  weeds. 
When  weeds  appear  they  should  be  dug  out  of  the  lawn.  The 
best  time  to  seed  is  just  before  a  shower.  Heavy  rains  are 
liable  to  wash  the  seed  away  and  make  gullies  in  the  lawn. 
These  scars  should  be  repaired  and  reseeded  immediately. 
Any  bare  spots  where  the  seed  fails  to  come  up  should  be  re- 
seeded  after  waiting  a  reasonable  time,  say,  about  two  weeks 
after  seeding.  Patience  and  perserverance  is  the  price  of  a 
good  lawn. 

There  is  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  best  season  to  seed 
a  lawn,  some  claiming  that  the  spring  is  the  better,  others  the 
fall.  If  the  seed  is  sown  early  in  the  spring  good  results  will 
be  secured,  but  if  sown  late  the  summer  droughts  will  burn 


62  How  to  Lay  Out 

the  young  grass  before  it  becomes  established.  Good  success 
is  obtained  by  sowing  in  the  fall.  The  last  two  weeks  in  August 
or  the  first  two  weeks  in  September  is  the  best  time.  In  the 
fall  weed  seeds  are  not  so  vigorous,  the  rains  and  heavy  dews 
are  almost  certain,  and  there  is  time  enough  for  the  grass  to 
get  established  before  winter. 

Good  judgment  should  be  shown  in  caring  for  a  lawn.  The 
first  mowing  of  a  newly  seeded  lawn  should  be  done  with  a 
scythe.  Avoid  too  close  clipping  of  the  lawn  during  droughts. 
Do  not  let  the  grass  grow  too  tall  as  it  shades  the  roots  causing 
the  gi*ass  to  have  a  burnt  appearance. 

Good  turf  is  the  one  essential  for  a  tennis  lawn.  A  quick 
method  of  securing  the  finished  surface  is  to  sod  the  area. 
Sprinkle  some  screened  topsoil  and  commercial  lawn  fertilizer 
over  the  sod  and  sow  a  little  grass  seed,  water  and  roll.  A  space 
of  about  50  feet  by  100  feet  is  usually  needed  and  allowed  for 
a  tennis  court. 

Tennis  has  developed  from  the  simple  game  played  on  the 
lawn  to  one  played  on  a  specially  prepared  dirt  or  gravel 
court.  The  desire  to  own  a  court  has  caused  all  ideas  of 
beauty  in  the  lawn  or  home  surroundings  to  be  abandoned. 
The  unity  of  what  was  once  beautiful  home  surroundings  has 
often  been  destroyed.  Unless  kept  in  constant  use  and  repair 
they  are  apt  to  become  barren  wastes  with  straggling  weeds. 
Such  surfaces  should  be  hidden  from  view  of  the  house  by 
a  fence  covered  with  vines  or  a  plantation  of  trees  and 
shrubs. 

To  make  a  gravel  tennis  court  a  space  about  50  feet  by 
100  feet  should  have  all  the  topsoil  and  poor  subsoil  removed. 
If  the  ground  is  very  wet  the  land  should  be  underdraijied. 
Then  use  the  same  methods  for  building  the  gi-avel  court  as 
is  adopted  for  the  building  of  grav{>l  or  macadam  drives.  If 
the  court  cannot  be  made  level,  slope  either  way  about  I  inch 
to  the  foot  and  in  the  direction  of  the  general  slope  of  the  land. 
The  back  net  can  be  made  a  permanent  fence  by  the  use  of 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  63 

gas-pipe  rails  8  feet  high  and  electric  welded  mesh  wire  securely 
fastened  to  the  rails  l^y  galvanized  or  copper  wire.  The  mesh 
of  the  wire  chosen  must  be  of  a  size  to  keep  the  tennis  balls 
from  being  driven  tlu-ough  the  fence.  The  gas  pipe  should 
be  painted  dark  green. 

For  a  full-sized,  regulation  tennis  com't  an  area  about  GO 
feet  by  120  feet  should  be  set  apart.  The  court  should  be  planned 
so  the  length  will  be  as  nearly  north  and  south  as  it  is  jjossible 
to  make  it.  Tliis  allows  for  the  play  in  the  morning  and  the 
afternoon,  as  the  sun  will  then  shine  across  the  court  and  not 
in  the  eyes  of  the  players.  The  fence  in  such  cases  is  usually 
made  about  10  to  12  feet  in  height.  On  either  side  of  the 
court  an  opening  should  be  left  in  the  form  of  a  Uttle  gate 
to  allow  the  players  to  get  a  stray  ball  that  has  been  driven 
over  the  fence.  On  either  side  a  seat  can  be  arranged  under 
the  shadow  of  a  \dne-clad  entranceway  to  the  court.  Well 
selected  vines  suitable  to  the  locahty  and  exposm'e  enliance 
the  beauty  of  the  court  as  well  as  furnishing  a  background 
for  the  wliite  tennis  balls.  Art  can  even  be  displayed  in  the 
arrangement  and  treatment  of  the  temiis  court,  instead  of 
the  drearv  wastes  so  often  seen. 


64  How  to  Lay  Out 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

There  are  too  many  who  have  no  idea  of  im- 
provement, except  by  increasing  the  quantity, 
the  quaUty,  or  the  value  of  an  estate.  The 
beauty  of  the  scenery  seldom  enters  into  their 
thought;  and,  What  will  it  cost?  or,  What  will 
it  yield?  not.  How  will  it  look?  seems  the  gen- 
eral object  of  inquiry  in  all  improvements.  — 
Sir  Humphrey  Repton. 

1 1  AT  shall  I  plant?  is  the  usual  question  of  the 
improver,  not  where  shall  I  plant  or  how  will  the 
P'ounds  look?  If  there  is  an  open  space  or  a  nice 
clean  expanse  or  breadth  of  lawn  there  is  great 
temptation  to  plant  in  the  middle  a  tree,  a  bush,  a  flower  bed, 
or  a  rockery.  It  has  almost  become  a  belief  that  he  who  i)lants 
a  tree  is  a  benefactor — only  plant — never  mind  art  or 
artistic  feeling  in  the  location  of  the  tree.  Sometimes  one 
will  hear  a  remark,  —  "I  don't  need  any  plans;  just  give  me 
the  bushes;  I  can  see  it  all  in  my  eye  how  to  plant  on  the 
ground."  Such  words  are  not  infreiiuent  from  so-called  pro- 
fessors of  the  art  of  landscape  gardening  or  landscape  archi- 
tecture. Does  it  not  seem  strange  that  such  men  as  Repton 
and  Olmsted,  masters  in  their  art,  should  need  to  make  a 
plan?    See  Plan  VI. 

Then  the  next  step  is  to  make  a  planting  plan  after  the 
grading  })lan  has  been  finished  or  the  grading  has  been  com- 
pleted. This  plan  should  show  in  detail  the  kind  and  numl)er 
of  ])lants  to  use  to  form  the  gi'oups  and  masses  indicated  on  the 
preliminary  sketch. 

To  begin  with,  take  the  grading  plan  and  the  toi)ographicai 
map  and  compile  a  complete  map  of  all  the  existing  features, 
the  house  and  the  new  changes  in  the  grounds.  Then  locate 
by  arrow  lines  the  direction  of  the  views  from  the  principal 


PLANTING   LIST. 


1.  Euonymus  radicans;  25  plants. 

Evergreen  Creeper. 

2.  Hedera  Helix;  5  plants. 

English  ivy. 

3.  Clematis  paniculata;  9  plants. 

Clematis. 

4.  Lonicera  Halleana;  12  plants. 

Hall's  Honeysuckle. 

5.  Wistaria  Chinensis,  2  plants, 

Chinese  Wistaria. 

6.  Crimson  Rambler  Rose;  7  plants 

Variety,  Dorothy  Perkins. 

7.  Ampelopsis  quinquefoUa;  23  plants. 

Woodbine. 

8.  Kalmialatifolia;  5  plants;  3 ft.  apart. 

Mountain  Laurel. 

9.  Ligustrum  Ibota;  3  beds;  25  plants, 

3  feet  apart. 
Japan  Privet. 

10.  Andromeda  floribunda;    5  plants; 

2  feet  apart. 

Lily  of  the  Valley  Bush 

11.  Spiraea  Van  Houteii;    3  beds;    29 

plants;  3  feet  apart. 
Van  Houtte's  Spirea, 

12.  Ligustrum  Regelianum:  3  beds;  30 

plants;  2^  feet  apart. 
Regels  Privet. 

13.  Berberis  Thunbergii;    2  beds;    17 

plants;  2  feet  apart. 
Japan  Barberry. 

14.  Viburnum    Lentago;    4    beds;    38 

plants;  2h  feet  apart. 
Sheepberry. 

15.  Cydonia  Japonica;  1  bed;  2  plants; 

2  feet  apart 

Japanese  quince. 

16.  Deutzia  gracilis;    2  beds;  6  plants; 

2  feet  apart. 
Dwarf  Deutzia. 

17.  Symphoricarpos    vulgaris;    1  bed; 

20  plants;  2  feet  apart. 
Indian  Currant. 

18.  Deutzia     Lemoinei;     2   beds;     15 

plants;  2  feet  apart 
Lemoines  Deutzia. 

19.  Iberissempervirens  suberba;  1  bed; 

35  plants;  1  foot  apart. 

Evergreen  Candytuft 
20      Stpphanandra  flexuosa;  2  beds;  10 
plants;  2  feet  apart. 

Stephanaiidra. 

21.  Cornus  elegantissima;  heeled  in  on 

ground;  4  plants. 
1  )og\vood. 

22.  Loniccia     Tatarica;     2  beds;     15 

plants ;  3  feet  apart. 
Tartarian  Honeysuckle. 

23.  Vinca  minor:  100  plants;  6  in.  apart. 

Periwinkle. 


24.  Crataegus     oxycantha     coccinea 

florepleno ;  2  plants. 
English  Hawthorn. 

25.  Trollius  Europeus;    LO  plants;    1 

foot  apart. 
Globe  Flower. 

26.  Spring  bulbs  in  edge  of  bed 

Crocus;  Scilla;  Hyacinths. 

27.  Aspidium       acrostichoides,         12 

plants;  1  foot  apart. 
Christmas  Fern. 

28.  Aspidium  marginale;    15   plants; 

1  foot  apart. 
Evergreen  Wood  Fern. 

29.  Dicksonia       punctilobula  ;        12 

plants,  8  feet  apart. 
Gossamer  Fern. 

30.  Osmunda  Claytoniana;  12  plants; 

2  inches  apart. 
White  Crozier. 

31.  Peonies;  50  plants;  2  feet  apart. 

Named  Varieties. 

32.  Phlox;  tall  flowering;    60  plants; 

2  feet  apart. 

Named  varieties 

33.  Spiraea;    Anthony    Watcrer;     12 

plants;  2  feet  apart. 

Anthony  Waterer  Spirea 

34.  Forsythia  suspensa;   6  plants;    3 

leet  apart. 

Weeping  Golden  Bell. 

35.  New    Dwarf    Crimson    Rambler; 

5  plants. 

Baby  Rambler. 

36.  Hardy  hybrid  roses;    existing  on 

ground;  plant  2  feet  apart. 

37.  Hardy  perennials  in  flower  garden 

at  rear  of  house. 

38.  Phlox    subulata;    40    plants;     8 

inches  apart. 
Moss  Pink. 

39.  Alyssum   argenteum;     10  plants; 

8  inches  apart. 
Gold  Dust. 

40.  Dicentra    spectabilis;    10   plants; 

1  foot  apart. 
Bleeding  Heart. 

41.  Delphinium     grandiflorum;       12 

plants;  1  foot  apart. 
Larkspur. 

42.  Papaver  nudicaule;    20  plants;  6 

beds;  1  foot  apart. 
Iceland  Poppy. 

43.  Anemone    Japonica;    45    plants; 

8  inches  apart. 
Wind  Flower. 

44.  Space    reserved   for   low   growing 

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UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  69 

windows  of  the  house,  the  street,  and  any  other  vantage  point 
on  the  grounds. 

Mews  are  often  destroyed  by  lack  of  consideration  as  to  the 
uhimate  effect  of  the  shrubs  or  trees  planted.  Then  locate  or 
indicate  the  objectionable  features  that  should  be  hidden, 
such  as  a  neighbor's  back  door,  a  stable,  etc.  Then  proceed 
to  plot  on  the  plan  the  desirable  locations  for  the  shrubs  or 
trees  chosen. 

In  making  this  plan  the  home  builder  may  embody  many  of 
the  choice  plants  often  admired  in  some  friend's  grounds.  By 
such  consideration  many  disappointments  will  be  avoided  in 
the  failure  of  plants  to  grow.  The  shade  of  a  tree,  the  north 
side  of  a  building,  the  climatic  conditions,  or  the  quality  of  the 
soil  will  preclude  many  of  the  plants  desired.  It  will  be  found, 
however,  that  there  are  many  more  varieties  that  may  be  used 
never  thought  of  by  the  home  builder  without  such  study. 

The  size  of  the  plant  as  received  from  the  nursery  as  com- 
pared with  its  ultimate  growth  is  one  of  the  usual  forgotten 
points.  Trees  are  planted  too  closely  together  as  they  appear 
only  as  poles  at  first.  Later,  when  they  grow  and  appear  to 
crowd,  there  is  difficulty  in  getting  any  of  them  removed. 
''Woodman,  spare  that  tree"  is  one  of  the  unwritten  laws. 
Another  error  often  made  is  the  desire  to  use  too  large  a 
variety  of  trees  and  shrubs.  There  are  new  varieties  intro- 
duced and  offered  as  specialties  by  the  nurserymen  each  year 
which  are  destined  to  fail  if  the  climatic  conditions  and  soil 
preparations  are  unsuitable.  It  is  l^etter  to  limit  tlie  list  to  a 
few  plants  of  sure  growth  at  the  first  planting.  Try  to  use 
plants  that  will  take  care  of  themselves. 

In  planning,  strive  to  get  simple  broad  effects  instead  of 
startling  ones.  The  novelty,  in  time,  passes  away  by  the 
latter  method  and  a  more  restful,  homelike,  and  less  expen- 
sive result  is  secured  l)y  the  former  plan,  flan  to  plant  in 
gi'oups  and  masses  rather  than  the  spotting  of  the  lawn  by 
the  use  of    individual  shrubs.     Many  a  fine  lawn  has  been 


70  How  to  Lay  Out 

ruined  by  such  methods.  A  single  row  of  trees  or  shrubs  for 
a  screen  is  not  so  good  as  a  broad  belt  or  plantation.  See 
Plate  XXVI.  The  row  looks  too  thin.  However,  it  may  be 
necessary  to  use  a  single  row  on  account  of  the  contracted  area 
of  the  grounds. 

What  shall  I  plant?  is  the  question  usually  asked,  and  not 
where  or  how  to  make  pleasing  grouping  or  picture-like 
arrangements.  More  than  half  the  failures  are  due  to  this 
misplaced  emphasis.  It  is  the  design,  the  general  mass,  the 
varied  sky  line  or  outline  that  makes  the  pictures,  not  the  indiv- 
idual plant.  AVithout  considering  the  pigments  one  looks  at 
a  beautiful  painting  and  realizes  it  is  a  masterpiece.  Never- 
theless it  is  the  pigments  in  the  hand  of  the  master  that  makes 
the  work  of  art.  Likewise  there  are  several  kinds  of  plants 
which  may  be  used  in  the  same  situation  to  obtain  the  same 
mass  effect.  It  is  a  peculiar  fact  that  by  planting  a  ])lace 
may  appear  to  look  larger,  especially  if  the  border  plantations 
have  been  well  studied.  A  group  or  plantation  on  the  border 
line  not  only  protects  the  boundary,  but  gives  a  limiting  point 
for  the  eye  to  rest  upon.  If  the  interior  lawn  is  kept  free  and 
open,  the  extent  of  the  ground  is  increased.  See  Plates  XXV 
and  XXVI. 

In  planning  a  border  plantation  it  is  not  necessary  to  omit 
the  plants  in  the  border,  only  vary  it  by  the  choice  of  plants 
with  regard  to  the  height  to  which  they  will  grow.  See  Plates 
XXXI,  XXXII,  XXXIII,  and  XXXIV. 

Choose  plants  that  will  harmonize  in  leaf,  color,  and  form, 
unless  a  contrast  is  desired.  If  a  contrast  is  desired  it  should 
be  studied  to  avoid  making  a  spotted  appearance. 

There  are  but  few  buildings  that  do  not  look  bold  and  bare 
without  some  plants  to  soften  th(^  sharp  line  where  building 
and  gi-ound  unite.  Plant  along  the  base  of  a  building,  not 
too  heavily,  but  enougli  to  obtain  the  softening  effect  and 
make  the  house  appear  a  part  of  the  composition.  See  Plates 
XII,  XXIX,  and  XXX. 


^                    JifiO| 

^^^^^^  \               ^kilii^H 

HM^?^'    **-  •  ^^           iiiJ^H^^B 

IS^LM'^yiHHill^yl 

ffi'            2*«&:'".: 

1          _  ;  '^'i^ 

Plate  XXIIL     Wall  and  gaic  to  kitchen  eutrauce.     >,ote  good  design  for 
gate  and  poor  bonding  in  construction  of  wall. 


Plate  XXIV.     Brick  boundary  wall,  vine  covered,  screening  the  grounds 
from  the  public  gaze. 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Plate  XXV.     Tree  and  shrubbery  embordered  lawn,  simple  yet  charming. 
Weeping  beech  on  right,  Lombardy  poplar  in  distance. 


Plate  XXVI.     Open  iawu  between  house  and  street.      House  above  street. 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  75 

Do  not  cut  flower  beds  in  the  lawn  but  use  herbaceous  per- 
ennials and  plant  them  along  the  edge  of  the  shrubbery  border. 
The  shrubbery  forms  a  good  background  to  set  off  the  bloom. 

Some  people  have  a  liking  or  hobl)y  for  hyl^rid  roses,  and  tlie 
lawn  is  dug  into  beds  and  roses  planted  in  every  conspicuous 
place.  The  roses  are  beautiful  when  in  bloom  but  at  other 
seasons  they  are  a  group  of  straggling  briars.  The  best  way 
to  have  roses  is  to  set  apart  an  area  especially  for  them,  or 
plan  a  rose  garden. 

In  designing  the  planting  it  is  a  good  idea  to  study  nature, 
walk  along  the  roadside  or  in  the  fields  and  observe  how  masses 
are  formed  by  the  intermingling  of  the  various  trees  and  shrul^s. 
These  have  character  and  grouping  that  is  often  artistically 
perfect.  Such  gi-oups  were  formed  by  the  seeds  being  carried 
b}^  the  winds  or  by  birds.  They  represent  the  survival  of 
the  fittest,  the  stronger  varieties  predominating  in  the  group. 

In  planning  a  group  or  mass  the  practice  of  having  the  plants 
arranged  in  tiers  or  ranks  should  be  discarded,  as  the  result 
is  tame  and  uninteresting.  The  introduction  of  some  pointed 
or  spiry  formed  shi'ubs  or  trees  as  a  lombardy  poplar  at  salient 
points  gives  character  and  adds  interest  to  what  otherwise 
would  be  a  dull  and  uninteresting  plantation.    See  Plate  XXV. 

In  planning  it  should  be  remembered  that  the  plan  gives 
only  the  locations  of  the  various  features  and  plants,  and  it 
must  be  borne  in  mind  that  everything  will  be  seen  in  per- 
spective when  the  plan  is  executed. 

The  human  eye  has  been  trained  to  seek  balance  of  parts 
or  symmetry  of  design.  In  fact,  nature  seems  to  be  arranged 
with  the  idea  of  balance  about  some  common  centre.  If  there 
is  one  particular  thing,  it  is  placed  in  the  centre.  If  there  are 
two,  they  are  placed  equidistant  from  the  centre.  Thus  in 
planning  the  home  grounds  there  will  need  to  be  a  sense  of 
balance  in  the  treatment.  It  is  not  necessary  always  to  have 
the  individual  shrubs  duplicated  about  a  common  axis,  although 
in  certain  instances  this  might  be   admissible.     It  is  the  gen- 


76  How  to  Lay  Out 

cral  form,  the  appearance  as  a  whole,  that  gives  the  sense  of 
balance.     See  Plates  XXV,  XXVII,  and  XXXIV. 

The  ground  plan  or  outline  of  the  planting  should  show 
prominent  points  and  deep  bays;  the  extent  of  one's  grounds 
can  be  greatly  increased  by  the  appearance  of  distance  made 
by  a  plantation  bay.  In  planning  and  estimating  the  number 
of  plants  to  be  used,  the  determining  thought  should  be  whether 
the  planting  is  to  be  done  for  immediate  or  ultimate  effect.  If 
for  immediate  effect,  the  number  used  will  be  greater  than  for 
ultimate  effect.  The  plants  when  full  grown  need  plenty  of 
room,  but  if  planted  when  small  to  allow  for  the  required  space 
there  will  be  large  spaces  between  the  shrubs  that  will  need 
to  be  kept  in  grass  and  mowed  or  filled  with  some  flowering 
perennials  that  will  cover  the  bare  ground  during  the  period  of 
growth. 

•,  In  grouping  to  conceal  any  objectionable  object,  the  choice 
of  plants  should  be  made  of  the  kinds  that  are  evergreen,  or 
of  a  very  twiggy  nature.  If  loose  growing,  they  form  no  bar- 
rier to  the  vision  in  winter. 

Fall  and  winter  effects  can  also  be  secured  by  choosing  the 
kinds  that  are  known  to  color  \vv\l  in  the  fall  and  retain  the 
berries  all  winter,  such  as  the  Japan  barberry. 

The  use  of  evergreen  trees  and  shrubs  is  d(\>^iral)le  for  screen- 
ing purposes,  for  wind  breaks,  for  hedges,  for  permanent  winter 
effects,  or  for  backgrounds  for  showy  plants.  Unfortunateh', 
the  list  of  evergreen  plants  which  are  perfectly  hardy  in  the 
northern  \ydrt  of  this  country  is  \-{>ry  limited,  yet  such  as  we 
have  ai-e  worthy  of  cultivation.  The  lial)ility  of  death  from 
a  severe  winter  or  from  the  alternate  thawing  and  frec^zing  in 
the  early  spring  makes  the  list  very  small.  Remarka])ly  fine 
effects  can  be  obtained  by  the  use  of  broad  leaved  evergreens 
such  as  rhododendron  and  mountain  laurel.  It  is  also  a  safe 
rule  to  use  native  evergreens  such  as  the  white  pine  or  hem- 
lock.    See  Plates  XXVII  and  XXVIII. 


Plate  XXVII.     Natural  style,  a  glimpse  through  liemlocks  on  the  margh:  of  a 
small  estate  gives  it  a'  sense  of  great  extent. 


Plate  XXVIII.  Natural  siyle  of  development.  l';ilh  .skirts  herbaceous  i)eren- 
uials  and  shrubbery  massed  without  architectural  adornment,  white  pines 
in  background. 


LiSRARY 

OF  THE 

UNiVERSlTV  OF  ILLINOIS 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  79 


CHAPTER  IX. 

You  may  be  on  land,  yet  not  in  a  garden. 

A  noble  plant  suits  not  with  a  stubborn  ground. 

The  charges  of  building  and  making  of  gardens 

are  unknown. 
Although  it  rains,  throw  not  away  the  watering 

pot. 
Fear  keeps  the  garden  better  than  the  gardener. 
A  garden  must  be  looked  unto  and  dressed,  as  a 

body.  —  George  Herbert. 

HERE  is  no  more  critical  time  in  the  life  of  ^vell 
chosen  plants  than  at  the  time  of  planting  or  trans- 
planting.    Upon  this  rests  the  success  or  failure  of 
the  shrubs  and  trees  used  to  adorn  the  home  grounds. 
Of  course,  there  must  be  subsequent  care. 

There  are  several  sources  from  which  the  plants  may  be 
secured.  They  may  be  dug  from  the  fields  where  they  are 
growing  wild,  they  may  be  raised  from  seed,  they  may  be  raised 
from  cuttings,  or  by  purchase  from  a  nursery.  For  the  ordinary, 
small  suburban  home  the  latter  method  is  the  best  and  quickest 
in  producing  the  desired  results. 

Better  success  is  obtained  if  the  nursery  grown  plants  have 
been  moved  several  times  in  the  nursery  as  they  have  then 
formed  a  good  mass  of  roots  and  will  not  feel  the  shock  of  trans- 
planting or  show  the  effects  that  native  dug  plants  do.  Use 
small  plants,  especially  in  the  evergreen  class.  They  usually 
do  better  and  more,  lasting  results  are  obtained  than  by  secur- 
ing larger  ones.  It  is  not  only  necessary  to  make  a  plant  live 
but  to  make  it  grow  to  have  satisfaction. 

Plants  ordered  from  the  nurseries  are  usually  dug  and  packed 
with  wet  moss  or  other  damp  wrappings  to  keep  the  roots 
moist  during  transportation.  As  soon  as  the  plants  are 
received   they   should   be   unpacked,   and   if   they  cannot   be 


8o  How  to  Lay  Out 

planted  out  immediately  they  should  be  "heeled  in,"  i.e.,  the 
roots  placed  in  a  trench  and  covered  with  moist  earth. 

Care  should  be  taken  to  keep  the  earth  moist  until  the 
plants  can  be  set  out  in  the  permanent  position.  If  the  plants 
are  kept  in  the  original  wraj^ping  the  roots  should  be  kept 
wet. 

To  plant  a  tree  and  have  it  thrive  n(»eds  only  thorough 
woi-k  and  proper  care.  The  tree  hole  or  pit  should  be  dug 
broad  enough  to  take  the  roots  of  the  tree  spread  out  and  deep 
enough  to  give  sufficient  soil  for  the  new  roots  to  grow\  From 
5  to  10  feet  in  diameter  and  3  to  4  feet  in  depth,  according  to 
the  size  of  tree  and  soil  conditions,  is  none  too  little. 

At  the  bottom  of  the  pit  stir  in  a  bushel  of  well  rotted 
manure  and  mix  with  good  soil.  Then  set  the  tree  or  shrub  a 
httle  lower  than  it  was  in  the  nursery,  scatter  the  earth  about 
the  roots  and  firmly  tread  so  that  no  air  spaces  remain.  If 
the  weather  is  dry  it  is  a  good  plan  to  water  the  roots  when 
planting.  Watering  also  helps  to  settle  the  earth  about  the 
roots.  A  mulching  or  covering  of  manure,  straw,  or  leaves, 
will  prevent  the  ground  drying  out  and  thus  save  the  plants 
from  dying.     Mulching  is  especially  good  for  fall  planting. 

Stake  the  tree,  if  in  a  windy  place,  to  a  stout  pole.  I'se  a 
piece  of  rubber  hose  or  l)urlap  for  a  straj-*  to  hold  the  tree  to  the 
pole  and  avoid  chafing. 

The  planting  bed  should  be  made  two  feet  in  dejith  of  good 
topsoil,  and  if  this  ({uantity  does  not  exist  th(>  subsoil  sliould 
be  removed  and  good  topsoil  sul)stituted.  The  soil  should 
have  well  rotted  manure  mixed  with  it  before  ])lanting  the 
shrubs. 

It  is  a  good  rule  to  pinuie  the  tops  of  trees'  and  shrul)s  to 
equalize  the  loss  of  roots  caused  by  moving.  This  ma}"  not 
be  so  ornamental  when  fii-st  set  out,  l:)Ut  the  jilant  soon  regains 
new,  NJgoi'ous  gi-owtli  which  rcpa^'s  foi-  the  loss  of  the  branches. 
After  the  trees  and  shrubs  have  become  establislicd  they  need 
but  little  care. 


Plati:  XXIX.     Appearance  of  house  before  plautiug. 


Plate  XXX.     Appearance  of  house  alter  pl;ulnlli,^     Note  ilie  softeuing  of  the 
architecture  uniting  the  house  to  the  ground. 


OF  THE 


UNiVERSliy  OF  ILLINOIS 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  83 

Should  the  shrubs  gi'ow  too  rank,  or  if  it  appears  necessary 
to  prune,  the  best  time  is  after  the  plants  have  bloomed;  if 
before  the  plants  have  bloomed,  all  the  flower  buds  are  sac- 
rificed. For  instance,  forsxihia,  spireas,  honeysuckles,  etc., 
bloom  early  in  the  sunmier.  They  should  be  pruned  after 
blooming  so  the  buds  will  set  for  the  next  year's  gi-owth. 
Later  blooming  plants  like  altheas  and  hydrangeas  should  be 
pruned  in  the  winter  diu-ing  the  months  of  January  and  Feb- 
ruary. Deciduous  hedges  may  be  pruned  in  the  spring  or 
after  the  plants  have  flowered.  Evergreen  hedges  are  best 
pruned  in  May  before  the  beginning  of  the  new  gi-oMih. 

To  prune  old  trees  cut  the  limbs  close  to  the  tree.  Do  not 
leave  a  stub,  as  it  will  decay.  Paint  the  wound  with  coal  tar 
or  paint.  To  remove  large  limbs  make  the  first  cut  some 
distance  from  the  trunk  of  the  tree  and  cut  from  below,  then 
make  a  cut  from  above  and  the  limb  will  fall,  lea^'ing  a  stub. 
Then  cut  the  stub  close  to  the  trunk  of  the  tree.  This  method 
avoids  stripping  the  bark  all  down  the  sides  of  the  tree.  By 
this  method  the  scar  will  heal  very  rapidly  by  the  bark  growing 
over  the  wound.  There  is  a  practice  or  theory  that  all  shrubs 
must  be  pruned  up  from  the  bottom  and  have  the  top  "shin- 
gled." This  is  a  very  bad  plan,  so  avoid  doing  it.  Let  them 
alone,  let  them  gi-ow  naturally,  for  thus  is  their  full  beauty 
secured.  The  only  care  needed  in  shi'ubbery  beds  is  to  remove 
the  weeds,  loosen  the  earth  about  the  roots,  fertilize  when  neces- 
sary, see  that  the  plants  do  not  dry  out  and  occasionally  cut 
out  the  dead  wood. 

^Miat  is  the  best  time  to  plant?  is  often  asked. 

Spring  is  nature's  time  for  awakening,  then  all  the  dormant 
forces  are  active  and  plants  set  out  continue  to  gi'ow.  Spring 
is  therefore  the  best  time.  FaU  planting,  however,  is  equally 
successful  for  a  large  number  of  plants,  especially  if  they  are 
set  out  early  enough  to  allow  the  plants  to  get  established 
before  frost.  The  fall  allows  a  longer  time  in  which  to  work 
with  the  added  advantage  of  being  free  for  the  usual  spring 


84  How  to  Lay  Out 

rush.     About  OctolxT  loth  is  the  tune  to  begin  planting,  vary- 
ing with  the  season  in  different  localities. 

The  time  to  plant  evergi-eens  is  in  April  and  May  before  the 
new  growth  begins  or  in  August  and  early  September  after 
the  gTowth  has  ceased. 

Evergi-eens  as  a  rule  should  be  planted  in  good  soil  well 
drained.  On  no  account  should  the  roots  be  allowed  to  dry 
out  at  the  time  of  planting  or  later  the  plant  will  gi-adually 
gi'ow  brown  or  die. 

^Yhen  the  ground  is  ready  unwrap  the  plant  and  set  into  the 
ground  immediately,  press  the  soil  about  the  roots,  and  water 
thoroughly.  Be  sure  the  roots  are  covered  after  watering. 
Do  not  let  manure  come  in  contact  with  the  roots,  and  cut  off 
any  marred  or  broken  roots.  After  planting,  a  heavy  mulching 
of  straw,  hay,  or  leaves  will  prevent  drying  out  and  be  an  aid 
to  success.  Hedges  whether  of  evergreens  or  deciduous  plants 
are  often  better  than  a  fence  for  marking  the  boundary  of  the 
property  or  along  the  street  front.  They  are  also  useful  to 
inclose  a  laundry  yard,  flower  or  vegetable  garden. 

In  planting  a  hedge  be  sure  of  good  soil,  then  dig  a  trench 
about  2  feet  wide  and  IS  inches  to  2  feet  in  depth.  At  the 
bottom  of  the  trench  spread  a  layer  of  well  rotted  manure  and 
mix  well  with  tlie  soil.  Then  set  the  plants  in  a  straight  line 
at  the  distance  decided  upon,  12  inches  or  IS  inches  ai)art. 

To  double  the  number  of  plants  in  the  hedge  in  setting  them 
out  greatly  helps  the  effect.  Alternate  the  plants  and  space 
about  IS  inches  apart  in  the  rows.  It  is  a  good  })lan  to  settle 
the  earth  about  the  roots  of  the  plant  by  giving  thc^n  a  good 
watering  and  then  fill  in  the  hollows  with  additional  soil  and 
water  thoroughly.  It  is  a  good  mle  to  nuilcli.  Set  the  plants 
a  little  lower  than  in  the  nursery  to  avoid  gaps  appearing  at 
the  base.  Prune  the  plants  in  and  endeavor  to  get  a  good 
bushy  growth  near  the  ground. 

In  pruning  the  hedge,  the  shape  adopted  should  ])e  one  that 
will  not  shade  the  lower  portion  of  the  plants.     A  rectangular 


Plate  XXXI.      Appearance  of  house  and  grounds  before  treatment. 


Plate  XXXII.     Appearance  of  house  and  grounds  after  study  and 
development. 


OF  THE 
UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLiNUlii 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  87 

form  is  good  or  a  rounding  form  at  the  top.  Hybrid  roses  need 
rich  soil,  an  abundance  of  sun,  close  spring  pruning,  and  close 
inspection  to  detect  insect  pests.  Should  insects  infest  imme- 
diate spraying  is  the  remedy.  The  best  time  to  prune  is  in 
March.  Cut  out  all  the  second  year  growth,  one  half  the  first 
year  growth,  and  cut  the  weak  canes  severely.  During  the 
growing  season  it  is  a  good  plan  to  keep  the  soil  stirred  al)out 
the  roots.  The  use  of  cow  manure  water  at  the  time  of 
blooming  greatly  improves  the  size  and  number  of  the  flowers. 
Roses'are  great  feeders.  In  the  use  of  vines,  choose  for  the 
purpose  they  are  to  serve,  whether  for  shade,  fruit,  or  flowers. 

Give  the  vines  .good  depth"  of  soil  and  make  a  large  pit. 
Many  failures  are  due  to  planting  vines  against  the  house  in 
but  a  few  inches  of  good  soil  which  has  gravel  and  stone?  under- 
neath. Mnes,  like  other  plants,  need  good  soil  and  good  manure. 
See  Plates  XXIV  and  XXXVII. 

The  revival  of  the  old  fashioned  flowers,  the  hardy  herba- 
ceous perennials,  is  bringing  into  many  a  home  the  pleasures 
that  were  enjoyed  by  the  people  of  colonial  days.  To  be  sure, 
the  art  of  using  the  home  simples  such  as  catnip,  sage,  and 
wormwood,  has  passed.  To-day  the  old  fashioned  plants  are 
grown  for  their  flowers.  See  Plates  VI,  XIX,  XXII,  XXVIII, 
XXXV,  XXXVI. 

The  great  advantage  of  using  perennials  is  their  permanent 
character.  Once  established  there  is  no  need  to  sow  or  replant 
every  spring,  as  in  the  case  with  annuals  or  greenhouse  plants, 
and  there  will  be  a  constant  yield  of  flowers  for  cutting. 

Perennials  are  good  in  an  inclosed  flower  garden,  and  on  the 
edge  of  a  lawn  in  the  front  of  a  shrubbery  border.  One  great 
advantage  in  the  use  of  perennials  is  that  during  the  latter 
part  of  the  summer  they  supply  flowers  when  other  plants 
are  out  of  l)loom.  Shrubs  flower  early,  and  except  for  these, 
the  latter  part  of  August  would  be  void  of  bloom.  The  home 
builder  by  choosing  a  few  sure  growing  varieties,  will  avoid 
disappointment    from    trying    many    experimental    kinds    on 


SS  How  to  Lay  Out 

account  of  the  soil  conditions  or  aspects  not  being  perfect. 
If  trees  are  near  the  flower  bed,  the  shade  may  cause  trouble 
or  the  roots  of  the  tree  may  sap  the  soil  of  all  nourishment 
unless  a  liberal  supply  of  manure  is  added  each  year.  In  plan- 
ning, choose  and  arrange  the  plants  so  that  there  will  be  a 
succession  of  bloom. 

There  is  often  difficulty  in  arranging  the  color  scheme  to 
avoid  the  clash  of  inharmonious  colors.  The  free  use  of  white 
flowering  kinds  is  a  great  help  in  reconciling  the  warring  colors. 
In  natural  planting,  every  effort  should  be  made  to  avoid 
straight  lines  or  rows  so  as  to  obviate  the  stiff  formal  effect. 

In  planting,  allow  them  room  enough  to  grow,  and  do  not 
put  the  taller  growing  plants  in  front  of  the  lower  growing 
varieties.  Start  with  the  taller  growing  plants  and  then  edge 
down  to  the  lowTr  growing  kinds,  but  not  in  ranks  or  tiers. 
Try  to  get  variety  in  outline  and  sky  line. 

Herbaceous  i:)erennials  need  a  good,  deep,  rich  soil.  It  is 
Avell  to  make  the  bed  2  feet  in  depth  and  add  a  quantity  of 
good  well  rotted  stable  or  cow  manure.  There  is  little  care 
needed  except  to  occasionally  remove  the  weeds  and  in  the  fall 
give  a  coating  of  manure  for  winter  protection.  There  are  a 
few  kinds  of  perennials  that  are  better  moved  and  divided 
once  every  three  or  four  years,  but,  as  a  rule,  the  plants  should 
be  left  undisturbed. 

In  addition  to  herbaceous  perennials  a  few  bulbs  such  as 
scilla,  hyacinth,  and  crocus  planted  along  the  edges  of  the  border 
and  in  the  grass  give  an  early  i)romise  of  spring.  Care  must 
be  taken,  however,  not  to  mow  the  grass  in  the  sjiring  until  llie 
l)ulbs  have  ripened  and  sets  formed  for  tlie  next  year. 

"How  long  before  the  shrubs  will  be  full  grown?"  That 
depends  upon  the  particular  plant.  As  a  rule,  the  first  ^ear 
the  plants  are  set  out  they  become  established  and  get  a  new 
root  system,  the  second  year  there  is  a  fair  growth  of  the 
branches,  the  third  }'ear  the  plants  ought  to  show  fiowers  and 
be  in  good  condition. 


Plaik  XXXIII.     Appearance  of  house  and  grounds  open  to  sireei  alter 
grading  and  before  planting. 


Platk  XXXIV.      Appearance  of  hotise  after  grading  and  planting  have  been 
completed.     Note  varying  height  of  border  plantation. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


OF  \Ht  „ 

UNNtRSlTV  OF  IUInO.S 


Peach  "^T-^^^     r-^  C^    y^ 

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"Cj' 


Currants 
Currants 
Peach 


*w. 


<^  '^         <'  O   <r^  O    strawberries 

.3    €/ J      c^^ 


Peach 

CO  ^• 


V       ,©         J 

/^        ,    Old /IpfJeTree 

C    >tO~/lri£lm 


(5/-i7^     7?«///j-  Cherry\ 


Room 

House 


Delphiniuny, 


Plan  VII.    Tape  measured  survey  of  Estate  "  B,"  showing  the  usual  scattered 
unstudied  treatment. 


Tennis  Cour 


o'^  c-'^  <r'^  O'^  1 

Orchard 

ma  ^^  %'^^^; 
,4>J3  ^'J^  Ccf  •• 


■^ 


)  ^-^  r-'^^  r"^ 


Plan  VIII 


Preliiiiiuary  plan  for  Estate  "  B/'  shrubs  aud  tiowers  moved  to 
make  a  good  design. 


UDi-ARY 

OF  THE 

UNiVERSITV  OF  ILLINOIS 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  95 


CHAPTER  X. 

Trees  are  God's  Architecture. — Anonymous. 

HAT  kind  of  a  tree  shall  I  plant  is  often  the  first 
(question  asked  by  the  improver  of  his  home  grounds. 
If  trees  native  to  the  locality  are  suggested,  immedi- 
ately the  objection  is  raised  that  they  are  so  com- 
monplace. Some  tree  or  plant  that  is  a  native  of  another 
land  and  clime  is  demanded,  ^vith  the  usual  result  of  a  partial 
or  complete  failure.  Every  section  of  the  country  has  its 
trees  and  slirubbery  that  are  indigenous  to  the  soil,  as  well 
as  many  that  have  been  naturalized  by  careful  grooving  by 
skilled  nurserymen  or  o\vners  of  large  estates  who  are  lovers 
of  trees.  For  the  ordinary  man  to  experiment  ^^^th  untried 
trees  means,  often  failure  or  disappointment,  as  w^ll  as  un- 
necessary expense.  Emphasis  can  again  be  placed  upon  the 
design  rather  than  upon  the  inchvidua  plants  that  go  to  make 
the  landscape  picture.  It  needs  only  the  trained  eye  to  rec- 
ognize effects  and  to  appreciate  the  landscape  value  in  the 
native  kinds  of  trees  in  making  the  picture.  Nearly  all  regions 
have  trees  in  form  that  are  round  headed,  spiry  shaped,  and 
columnar,  drooping  and  weeping,  as  well  as  other  general  forms 
and  shapes,  that  can  be  used  to  secure  similar  landscape  effects  — 
such  as  the  yew  in  England  and  the  cedar  in  America. 

For  permanent  screens,  wind  breaks,  and  charming  ^vinter 
effects,  the  evergreen  trees  should  be  used.  If  summer  shade 
is  desired,  with  an  opening  to  the  sun,  and  an  airy  effect  in 
winter,  the  deciduous  or  leaf  shedding  trees  should  be  chosen. 
The  varying  colors  of  the  foliage  as  the  season  advances  should 
also  be  borne  in  mind.  Specimen  trees  must  be  planted  free 
from  encroaching  trees  and  slirubberv  to  secure  the  full  value 


g6  How  to  Lay  Out 

of  their  nature  and  habit.  They  should  be  i)laced  near  a  mass 
of  fohage  and  not  in  the  center  of  a  lawn.  This  method  of 
treatment  is  possible  in  large  estates :  smaller  suburban  grounds 
can  grow  but  few  trees  as  individuals. 

In  choosing  trees  for  the  home  grounds  they  must  be  selected 
\^^th  care  as  to  the  exposure,  ultimate  size,  rapidity  of  growth, 
length  of  Hfe,  adaptabihty  to  the  soil,  as  well  as  to  the  general 
landscape  effect.  As  a  pattern  for  a  mixed  plantation  of 
trees  the  native  woods  should  be  studied,  \vith  their  compo- 
sition of  various  kinds  of  trees  that  have  been  planted  by 
nature's  method  of  the  winds,  the  birds  and  the  animals  carry- 
ing seeds  and  nuts,  storing  them  for  future  use.  We  ha^'e  but 
to  open  our  eyes  and  look  at  the  landscape  as  the  seasons 
advance,  and,  as  the  sunlight  and  shadow  pass  across  the  woods, 
we  may  see  many  pictures,  that  if  painted  by  an  artist  in  oil 
on  canvas,  we  should  be  ready  to  criticise  and  discredit. 

Some  of  the  reasons  why  trees  die  after  transplanting  are: — 

Because  they  have  lost  too  many  of  their  roots ; 

Because  after  they  were  dug  from  the  ground  or  unwrapped 
from  the  nursery  package  they  were  too  much  exposed  to  the 
sun  and  dry  air; 

Because  the  soil  was  not  packed  tightly  around  the  roots 
when  they  were  planted,  they  rock  back  and  forth ; 

Because  the  soil  was  too  wet  where  they  were  planted,  no 
drainage  in  the  tree  hole.  Sometimes  the  soil  is  made  very 
wet  and  is  of  such  a  kind  that  when  it  dries  it  bakes  and  keeps 
out  the  air; 

Because  the  soil  in  which  the  tree  was  j)lanted  dried  out 
too  (juickly. 

Trees  have  been  described  as  of  rapid  and  slow  growth. 
The  following  list  will  give  the  average  size  that  a  tlu-ee-inch 
sapling  will  develop  in  twenty  years  under  favorable  con- 
ditions. The  height  to  which  each  kind  of  tree  attains  in  the 
same  period  will  be  in  the  usual  proportion  to  the  diameter. 
Th(^  height  to  which  the  trees  attain  when  fully  grown,  with 


Suburban  Home  Grounds. 


97 


all   the   conditions   of   soil,    climate,    and    cxposnro    favoral)le, 
is  sho^^^l  in  the  last  column. 


Common  Name. 


Size  After 
20  Years. 


Average  Height 
when  Full  Grown. 


White  or  silver  maple 

American  elm 

Sycamore  (button wood  or  plane  tree) 

Tulip  tree 

Linden  or  basswood 

Hardy  catalpa 

Red  maple 

Ailanthus  or  tree  of  Heaven 

Magnolia  or  cucumber  tree 

Chestnut 

Sugar,  rock  or  hard  maple 

Horse  chestnut 

Honey  locust 

Red  oak 

Pin  oak 

Scarlet  oak 

White  ash 

White  oak 


Feet. 

100  to  120 

100  to  120 
80  to  100 
80  to  150 
60  to  SO 
80  to  100 

100  to  120 
50  to  60 
SO  to  90 
SO  to  100 

100  to  120 
60  to  SO 
70  to  140 
80  to  150 
SO  to  120 
70  to  80 
60  to  80 
80  to  100 


EVERGREEX   TrEES. 

.\i'borvita3 — in  \'arious  forms  and  varieties. 
Fir^ — Balsam,  Silver,  Nordman's,  etc. 
Hemlock — Tsuga  canadensis. 
Juniper — Red  Cedar  and  other  varieties. 
Pine — ^Austrian,  Scotch,  White,  etc. 
Retinospora — ^Tlii'eatl-branched,  plumc-Hke,  etc. 
Spruce — Colorado,  Nor\vay,  White,  etc. 

Many  other  varieties  of  evergreen  trees  can  be  found  in  the 
various  parts  of  the  great  country  of  the  United  States,  with 
its  varying  climate.  To  obtain  such  lists  a  visit  to  a  leading 
nursery,  an  arboretum,  or  the  ser\dces  of  a  Landscape  Archi- 
tect will  be  found  helpful  to  the  seeker  after  beautiful  results 
in  the  Home  Grounds. 


98  How  to  Lay  Out 


CHAPTER  XI. 

It  is  in  Society  as  in  nature — not  the  useful  but 
the  ornamental  that  strikes  the  imagination. — 
Sir  Humphrey  Davy. 

EAUTIFUL  grountls  are  admired  by  everyone.  One 
such  in  a  neighborhood  is  distinctive  and  acts  as 
an  incentive  and  pattern  for  the  adjoining  prop- 
erties. The  artistic  finish  is  often  secured  by  planting 
flowering  slirubs,  especially  when  they  are  used  to  hide  dis- 
agreeable objects,  define  the  boundaries  of  property,  and  to 
furnish  an  abundance  of  flowers  throughout  the  summer. 
As  the  seasons  advance  the  slirubs  \\dll  present  a  varied  effect, 
especially  if  well  chosen  and  arranged  according  to  height, 
color  of  flowers  and  foUage,  and  time  of  flowering.  Even  in 
winter,  bright,  showy  berries  and  highly  colored  stems  add  a 
brightness  that  can  be  secured  in  no  other  way.  The  usual 
method  recommended  for  planting  slu'ubs  is  in  groups  and 
masses,  with  a  few  individuals  on  the  margins.  To  plant 
single  slirubs  all  over  a  lawn  spoils  the  open  effect  and  reduces 
the  apparent  extent  of  the  grounds.  There  are  slirubs  native 
to  the  localities  that  are  well  worth  cultivating.  Other  va- 
rieties have  boon  cultivated  by  skilful  gardeners  and  importers 
to  be  ec^ually  hardy.  A  frecjuont  visit  should  bo  made  to  an 
arboretum  or  a  reliable  nursery  as  the  season  advances  to  watch 
the  character  of  the  plants  as  they  grow.  A  (Quicker  way 
would  be  to  secure  the  services  of  a  competent  adviser  to  tell 
the  best  kinds  of  trees,  slu'ubs,  and  flowers  to  use  in  the  im- 
provement. Avoid  the  too-free  use  of  striking  or  startling 
plants  if  harmony  is  desired,  such  hydrangea  paniculata,  the 
varie":ated    leaved    shrubs,    and    weird    grafted    horticultural 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  99 

variety  of  large  shrubs  and  small  trees.  There  are  several 
kiiuls  of  slirubs  that  can  be  used  to  secure  similar  effects  as 
to  form  and  mass  effect  so  that,  if  one  variety  is  not  available, 
another  can  be  substituted.  The  true  way  to  secure  a  beautiful 
garden  and  grounds  is  to  plant  what  soil,  situation  and  climate 
allow,  and  by  that  method  each  garden  ^\^ll  present  its  own 
distinctive  individual  charm.  There  are  slu'ubs  that  flower 
one  after  the  other  from  April  to  September,  wliich,  if  arranged 
properly,  will  give  flowers  aU  summer.  The  follo^^dng  is  a 
list  of  a  few  slirubs  that  are  commonly  found  in  nurseries. 
Many  more  varieties  will  be  found  in  the  nm'series  and  arbor- 
etums,  hardy  and  desirable  in  the  locality  in  which  the  improve- 
ments are  to  be  made,  whether  in  the  Northern  States,  the" 
Southern  States,  the  Middle  States,  or  in  Cahfornia.  The 
botanical  name,  the  common  name,  the  color  of  flower  and, 
the  letters  D  (dwarf),  S  (small),  M  (medium),  L  (large),  are 
given  as  a  guide  to  the  size  of  the  shrubs. 


March. 

Magnolia  stellata Hall's  magnolia White  L 

Daphne  mezereum Common  mezereum ....       Red  D 

April. 

Cornu.s  Mas CorneUan  cherry Yellow  L 

Forsythia  Fortuneii Golden  bell Yellow  L 

Spirea  Thunbergii Thunberg's  spirea White  S 

May. 

Berberis  Thunbergii Japanese  barberry Yellow  S 

Cydonia  Japonica Japanese  quince Scarlet  M 

Deutzia  gracillis Slender  deutzia White  S 

Exochorda  grandiflora Pearl  bush White  L 

Forsythia  viridissima Golden  bell Yellow  M 

Kerria  Japonica Globe  flower Yellow  M 

Ribes  aureum Missouri  currant Yellow  M 

SjTingia  \nilgaris Common  lilac Purple  L 

Viburnum  plicatum Snowball White  L 


loo  How  to  Lay  Out 

June. 

Berberis  \n.ilgaris Common  barberry Yellow  S 

Chionanthus  virginica White  fringe White  L 

Deutzia  crenata Deutzia Pinkish  L 

Deutzia  Lemoinei Lemoine  deutzia "VMiite  S 

Ligiistrum  medium Privet White  M 

Lonicera  Tatarica Bush  honeysuckle Pink  L 

Philadelphus  coronarius Mock  orange White  L 

Roses  in  variety Roses All  colors 

Spirea  Van  Houteii Van  Houtte's  spirea ....  WTiite  M 

July. 

Cornus  paniculata Gray  dogwood White  L 

Diervilla  Candida White  wigelea White  M 

Diervilla  Eva  Rathke Eva  Rathke  wigelia Crimson     M 

Elajagnus  longipes Japan  oleaster Yellow  L 

Ligustrum  Ibota Japan  privet White  L 

Lonicera  Morroweii Bush  honeysuckle Yellow  ]M 

Stephanandra  flexuosa Stephanandra White  S 

Symphoricarpos  racemosus ....    Snowberry Pink  S 

August. 

Hibiscus  in  variety Rose  of  Sharon All  colors  M 

Hypericum  aureum St.  John's  wort Yellow  D 

Spirea  var.  Anthony  Waterer .  .     Anthony  Waterer  spirea  Pink  D 

September. 

Caryopteris  Mastacanthus.  . .  .    Blue  spirea Lavender  D 

Baccharis  halmifolia Groundsel  tree White  L 

Desniodium  penduhflorum Sweet  pea  shrub Violet  D 

Hamamelis  Virginiana \Mtch  hazel Yellow  L 

Hibiscus  in  variety Rose  of  Sharon All  colors  L 

Hydrangea      paniculata      var. 

grandiflora Hydrangea Pinkish  L 

Winter  Berried  Shruha.  —^ 

Berberis  Thunbergii Japan  barberry 

Berberis  vulgaris Common  barberry 

Viburnum  Opulus High  bush  cranberry 

Rosa  muitiflora ^lany  flowered  rose 

Rosa  rugosa Japanese  rose 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  loi 

A  Few  Desirable  Evergreen  Shrubs. 

Andromeda  floribunda Lily  of  the  valley  bush 

Azalea  amoena Azalea 

Berberis  aquifolium Ash  berry 

Buxiis  in  variety Box— various  kinds 

Calluna  in  variety Heather 

Dajihne  cneorum Daphne 

Euonymus  radicans  in  var Evergreen  creeper 

Ilex  in  variety Holly 

Kalmia  latifolia Mountain  laurel 

Rhododendrons  in  variety Rhododendrons 


I02  How  to  Lay  Out 


CHAPTER  XII. 

And  from  my  heart  poured  out  the  feeling  of 
love;  it  poured  forth  a  wild  longing  into  the 
broad  night.  The  flowers  in  the  garden  beneath 
my  window  breathed  a  strong  perfume. — Henri 
Heine. 

HE  desire  to  have  an  abundance  of  flowers  is  strong 
in  the  home  lover's  heart.  The  annual  outlay  for 
greenhouse  bedding  plants  deters  the  average  man 
from  much  display.  There  is  a  better  way  coming 
into  vogue  now  by  the  revival  of  the  old-fashioned  flowers 
of  the  "  Grandmother's  Garden."  These  are  called  perennials, 
or  hardy  herbaceous  perennials,  because  their  tops  die  to  the 
ground,  but  their  roots  hve.  These  hardy  plants  begin  to 
bloom  from  earliest  spring,  and  continue  until  November. 
They  are  of  all  colors  and  varieties.  The  best  time  to  plant 
is  in  early  fall  or  very  early  spring. 

The  soil  should  be  two  feet  in  depth  and  of  good  vegetable 
garden  quality,  with  enough  retentive  compost  so  that  the 
plants  will  not  dry  out  in  hot  weather.  After  planting,  the 
beds  must  be  dressed  with  manure  each  year  to  have  good 
plants  and  flowers.  Starvation  of  soil  means  dearth  of  bloom. 
Many  kinds  of  herbaceous  plants  should  be  lifted  every  tliree 
or  four  years  and  divided,  because  the  crown  on  which  the 
flowers  grow  has  become  run  out.  Many  of  the  plants  grow 
from  the  center  outward  and  the  bloom  will  soon  l)ecome 
scattered,  spindling  and  unattractive.  Another  reason  for 
dividing  is  that  the  number  of  plants  will  be  increased,  giving 
an  opportunity  for  exchange  with  neighbors,  or  to  plant  in 
other   parts   of   the   grounds.     There   are   varieties   of   plants 


Suburban  Home  Grounds. 


103 


that  are  indigenous  to  the  soil,  called  native,  that  may  be 
dug  up  and  replanted  in  the  garden.  Oftentimes  it  recjuires 
skill  ajicl  patience  to  make  them  grow,  for  they  pine  away 
and  die  out  of  their  native  habitat.  Climatic  and  soil  influences 
curtail  the  list  of  plants  that  might  be  apphcable  to  a  whole 
countr}-.  For  safety,  only  plants  that  are  known  to  be  hardy 
should  be  selected.  In  the  follo\\ing  hst  are  a  few  names  of 
desirable  kinds  that  may  be  found  in  nurseries:  the  botanical 
name,  the  common  name,  the  color  and  the  months  of  bloom 
are  given: 


Achillea  variety,  the  pearl Yarrow 

Aconitum  napelus Monkshood  ... 

Althea Hollyhock 

Alyssum  saxatile  compactum Golddust 

Anemone  in  variety  * Wind  flower. .  .  . 

Aquelegia  in  variety Columbine 

Arabis  albida Rock  cress 

Aster  in  variety Hardy  asters .  . . 

Campanula  in  variety Bluebells 

Chrysanthemums    in    variety    and 

hybrids 

Coreopsis  grandiflora Tickseed 

Delphinium  in  variety  and  hybrids .  Larkspur 

Dianthus  in  varietj' Pink 

Dicentra  spectablis Bleeding  heart. . 

Digitalis  in  variety Fox  glove 

Funkia  subcordata Plantain  lily  .  .  . 

Hemerocallis  in  variety Day  lily 

Iberis  sempervirens Candy  tuft 

Iris  Germanica  in  variety German  iris.  .  .  . 

Iris  Kaemijfcri  in  variety Japanese  iris.  .  . 

Lihum  in  variety Lily 

Lobelia  cardinallis Cardinal  flower 

Lujunus  polyphyllus Lupine 

Monarda  didyma Bee  balm 

Myosotis  palustris. .  .  -. Forget-me-not. . 

Paonies  in  variety Peony 

Papaver  nudicaule Iceland  poppies 


Jy  to  S 
Jy  to  >S 
Ju  to  S 
Ap  to  Ju 
Ap  to  S 
Ap  &  S 
Ap  &  My 
My  to  S 
Ju  toS 

Ju  to  S 
Ju  to  S 
Ju  to  S 
Ju  to  S 
Ap  to  Ju 
Ju  to  Jy 
Jy  to  S 
Ju  to  Au 
My  to  Ju 
Ju 
Ju 

Ju  to  Oct 
Au  to  S 
Ju  &  Jy 
Ju  to  S 
My  &  Ju 
My  &  Ju 
Mv  to  Oct 


White 
Blue 

All  colors 
Yellow 
Various 
All  colors 
White 
All  colors 
All  colors 

All  colors 

Yellow 

All  colors 

All  colors 

Crimson 

All  colors 

White 

Yellow 

White 

All  colors 

All  colors 

All  colors 

Scarlet 

Blue 

Red 

Blue 

All  colors 

Yellow 


*  In  variety  means  that  there  are  several  kinds  of  the  same  plant  that  have  a  different 
color  of  flower,  cv  some  change  in  foliage  that  makes  it  desirable  under  certain  conditions 
to  use. 


I04  How  to  Lay  Out 

Phlox  subulata Moss  pink Ap  to  My     Pink 

Phlox  tall  growing Phlox 

Pyrethrum  in  variety Feverfew.  .  . 


Ju  to  S 

All  colors 

Ju  to  S 

Varioiis 

colors 

All  &  S 

Yellow 

My  to  Au 

Yellow 

Rudbeckia  lacinata Golden  glow.  . 

Trollius  Europaeus Globe  flower .  . 

Veronica  in  variety Speedwell Ju  &  Jy         White  & 

blue 

Viola  in  variety Violets Ap  &  My      White  & 

blue 

A  suggestive  list  of  a  few  bulbs  and  perennials  that  bloom 
in  the  different  months: 

March. 

Snowdrops White 

Crocu.sus Various 

Scillas Various 

April. 

Tulips Various 

Jonquils Yellow 

Pansies  (set  out) Various 

May. 

Moss  pink White,  (,ink 

Bleeding  heart Pink 

Clove  pinks White,  i)ink 

J  itnc. 
The  Month  of  Flowers. 

Forget-me-not Blue 

Larkspur Blue,  white,  etc. 

German  iris Various 

July. 

Hollyhocks Various 

Lillies Various 

Phlox  hardy Various  "^ 

August. 

Mallow ^^'hit(^  j)ink 

Golden  glow Yellow 

Si)oodwoll Blue 


Plate  XXXV.     Terrace  garden,  herbaceous  perennials,  brick  walk. 


Platk  XXXVl,     Herbaceous  flower  garden.     Note  the  general  mass  effect. 

p.  93 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITV  OF  ILLINOIS 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  107 

September, 

Hardy  asters Various 

Anemone  japonica White,  pink 

Larkspur,  late  blooming Various 

October. 

Cosmos Red,  white,  pink 

Chrysanthemum Various 

Note.  Other  lists  can  be  made  according  to  the  tastes  and  desires  of  the  lover  of 
flowers.  The  same  principle  holds  good  in  whatever  country  the  improvements  are 
made. 

The  names  of  a  few  shrubs  and  small  trees  that  bloom  in 
different  months: 

Common  Name.  Color.  Size. 

March. 

Hall's  magnolia White  L 

April. 

Golden  bell Yellow  L 

Thunberg's  snirea White  S 

May. 

Japanese  barberry Yellow  S 

Common  lilac Purple  L 

Snowball White  L 

June. 

Bush  honeysuckle Pink  L 

Roses All  colors 

July. 

Wigelia Various  M 

Jajj-'^n  privet White  L 

Bush  honeysuckle Yellow  M 


io8 


How  to  Lay  Out 


August. 

Common  Name.  Color. 

Rose  of  Sharon All 

Anthony  Waterer  spirea Pink 

St.  John's  Wort Yellow 

September. 

Hydrangea Pinkish 

Sweet  pea  shrub Violet 

Witch  hazel Yellow 

Note.     L=large;   M  =  medium;  S=small;   D=dwarf. 


Size. 

M 
D 
D 


L 
D 
L 


■^■^■P&J^ 


jjiaiS 


133H1S 


U3ais 


■&J='- 


U5i-ARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Plate  XXXVII.     Bird  bath  walk  from  flower  garden.     Taken  in  June  aftei 

spring  planting. 


Li&F;ARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  115 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

You  have  heard  it  said  (and  I  believe  there  is 
more  than  fancy  in  that  saying,  but  let  it  pass 
for  a  fanciful  one)  that  flowers  only  flourish  in 
the  garden  of  some  one  who  loves  them. — 
— John  Ruskin. 


LOWERS — a  bountiful  bloom — is  the  desire  of  many 
lovers  of  the  beautiful,  and  not  the  fruit  which  is 
the  product  that  comes  after  the  flowers.  Nature 
:  has  many  ways  of  perpetuating  its  kind  and  the  flower 
of  the  plant  is  one  method  with  the  rich  color,  the  delicate 
fragrance,  and  the  sweet  nectar  as  its  attraction.  Birds,  bees, 
animals,  as  well  as  man  are  attracted,  and  assist  in  the  fer- 
tilization and  distribution  of  the  seeds  and  plants.  There 
is  a  reason  for  all  these  tilings  that  can  be  found  out  by  study; 
the  main  one  is  fruit,  seed  and  the  continuing  hfe.  Man,  on 
account  of  Ms  love  for  the  beautiful,  has  emphasized  the 
flower  part  of  the  plant  to. such  an  extent  that  the  fruit  is 
is  overlooked  except  where  there  is  a  commercial  value.  Nature 
acts  otherwise  and  knows  no  law  of  dollars  and  cents,  only 
that  the  next  generation  of  plants  may  be  given  hfe  after 
the  death  of  itself. 

Thus  we  have  a  wide  range  of  flowers  from  which  to  choose 
that  have  been  gathered  from  all  quarters  of  the  globe.  Navi- 
gators, botanists,  travellers,  and  scientists  have  JDeen  attracted 
by  the  flowers  and  have  gathered  the  best  to  send  back  to 
their  home  land.  These  gleanings  have  been  carefufly  propagated 
and  acclimatized  by  skilful  and  patient  gardeners  with  the 
result  that  to-day  many  flowers  that  are  common  to  us  are 


1 1 6  How  to  Lay  Out 

really  natives  of  a  far-distant  land.  If  one  had  time  to  study 
the  life  history  of  each  flower  it  could  be  traced  to  some  field 
where  it  grew  wild  without  the  protecting  care  of  man, 

We  naturally  divide  the  flowers  into  divisions  according 
to  their  nature  of  growth  such  as  hardy  and  half-hardy, 
annuals,  and  so  forth.  Annuals  are  plants  that  grow  from 
seed,  flower,  produce  the  seed  and  die  the  same  year,  thus 
fulfilling  the  law  of  nature  for  reproduction.  Plants  with  this 
habit  produce  quick  results  in  any  garden  and  are  depended 
upon  in  special  difficult  situations,  in  the  flower  garden,  in 
the  perennial  garden,  along  shrubbery  beds  and  many  other 
delightful  uses.  There  are  a  great  variety  of  annuals  in  almost 
all  colors,  of  many  sizes  and  height:  some  are  used  for  edging 
of  paths,  others  for  making  flower  beds,  while  others  -are  useful 
to  form  screens  to  hide  some  disagreeable  object.  Some  annuals 
are  climbers  and  are  used  to  cover  arbors  and  serve  as  a  screen. 

To  raise  annuals  successfully  it  may  be  necessary  to  start 
some  kinds  of  seeds  in  boxes,  pots  or  other  receptacles  to 
enable  the  plants  to  reach  their  full  maturity  in  one  season, 
this  of  course  varies  according  to  the  part  of  the  country  in 
which  the  home  beautifier  lives.  To  start  plants  indoors  take 
some  boxes  or  flats,  as  they  are  called,  and  fill  with  a  mixture  of 
equal  parts  of  light  soil,  leaf  mould,  and  sand.  To  secure 
good  drainage  the  ])Ottom  of  the  box  should  have  holes  bored 
through  and  be  covered  with  broken  flower-pot  pieces,  stones, 
or  other  coarse  material.  After  filhng  with  the  soil,  water  the 
flats  for  a  day  or  two,  so  that  the  earth  is  firmly  set.  Then 
hghtly  stir  the  soil  and  scatter  the  seed  evenly  over  the  sur- 
face but  not  too  thickly,  then  cover  the  seeds  varying  in  depth 
according  to  the  kind  of  seeds.  The  depth  to  plant  the  seetl 
is  usually  marked  upon  the  packages  by  the  seedsmen  as  the 
plants  vary  in  their  treatment.  When  the  seed  is  sown  keep 
the  flat  in  a  sunny  window  near  the  glass  in  a  temperature 
varying  from  60  to  70  degrees.  Water  should  be  given  the 
planting  carefully  when  required,  so  as  not  to  wash  out  the 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  119 

seeds.  Some  cover  the  planted  seeds  Avith  a  piece  of  news- 
paper until  after  the  seeds  have  started  and  then  it  is  removed. 
Do  not  smother  the  small  seedlings.  After  the  seedlings  have 
become  strong  enough  to  transplant,  prick  them  off  and  place 
in  another  flat  or  in  pots  as  the  case  may  be,  to  be  grown  until 
they  are  strong  enough  and  the  weather  right  to  set  them 
out  in  the  permanent  place  that  has  already  been  prepared. 
For  good  results  with  annuals  usually  a  sunny  spot  must  be 
selected,  have  good  deep  soil  and  fertihze  with  good  well- 
rotted  barnyard  manm'e  or  cow  manure.  The  best  seed  should 
be  secm-ed  that  the  seedsmen  offer  to  obtain  good  results. 
With  tliis  preparation  and  the  same  spirit  that  is  displayed 
in  the  quotation  at  the  head  of  this  chapter  the  plant  lover 
may  look  for  good  results.  The  following  is  a  hst  of  a  few 
of  the  desirable  kinds: 

Asters,  Ageratums,  Sweet  alyssum.  Antirrhinum  (snapdragon), 
Balsam,  Calendula  (pot  marigold),  Candytuft,  Campanula 
(bluebells),  Celosia,  (cockscomb),  Centaurea  (Bachelor's  button), 
Clii-ysanthemum,  Coreopsis  (CalUopsis),  Cosmos,  Convolvulus 
(Morning  glory),  Cobea  scandens.  Delphinium  (Larkspur), 
Datura,  (Trumpet  flower),  Dianthus  (Annual  pinks),  Digitalis 
(Foxglove),  Eschscholtzia  (CaUfornia  poppy),  Gourds,  Gyp- 
sophylla  (Baby's  breath),  Hibiscus  (Mallow),  Hollyhock, 
Humulus  (Hopvine),  Marigold,  Mignonette,  Myosotis  (Forget- 
me-not),  Nasturtium,  Pansy,  Petunia,  Phlox  (Drummondi), 
Poppy,  Portulacca,  Salpiglossis,  Sahda,  Scabiosa  (Morning 
bride).  Stocks  (Gilliflower) ,  Sun  flowers.  Sweet  pea,  ^^erbena, 
Zinnia. 

Another  kind  of  plants  that  are  much  sought  after  by  indi- 
viduals that  desire '  to  take  up  a  hobby  are  the  bulbs.  These 
have  flowers  of  remarkable  beauty  in  an  endless  variety  of 
hal^it,  size  and  color  that  have  been  gathered  from  all  over 
the  world.  They  are  used  in  borders,  hardy  gardens,  along 
slii'ubbery  beds,  natm-alized  in  grass,  planted  on  the  margins  of 


I20  How  to  Lay  Out 

ponds  and  are  especially  useful  for  house  culture.  Fall  is 
the  best  time  for  planting.  A  few  of  the  best  kinds  for  early 
spring  flowers  are: — Scilla.  Chinadoxa,  Crocus,  Hyacinths, 
Narcissus,  Tulips,  LiUes  in  various  varieties  and  Gladioli. 

Nature  has  been  very  kind  in  jH'Oviding  so  many  kinds  of 
plants  for  almost  any  situation;  even  the  vines  have  their 
place  in  the  beautifying  of  the  home  grounds.  It  is  strange 
how  much  desire  there  is  to  have  the  kinds  that  ^^^ll  not  grow 
in  the  chmate  that  is  the  enviroimient  of  the  home  lover. 
The  same  holds  true  in  vines  as  in  other  })lants.  that  there 
are  kinds  that  will  grow  well  in  the  various  parts  of  the  country 
that  \vill  not  tlu-ive  in  another  section.  Take,  for  instance, 
the  Enghsh  Ivy  so  much  en\ned  in  the  extreme  northern  parts 
and  grown  so  well  in  the  middle  section,  also  the  climbing 
Hydrangea,  a  beautiful  plant. 

The  same  treatment  is  given  the  vines  that  is  described  for 
slirubs.  When  piaiiting  near  the  house  care  should  be  taken 
not  to  place  the  plants  so  near  the  walls  that  the  rain  will  not 
reach  the  roots  on  account  of  the  extreme  overhang  of  the  eaves 
of  the  house.  The  following  are  a  few  of  the  ordinary  kinds: — 
Actinidia  arguta,  Akebia,  Celastrus  Scandens  (Bitter  sweet), 
Clematis,  Dutchman's  pipe,  Honeysuckle,  Climbing  roses, 
Ivy  various  kinds,  Wistaria,  Woodbine,  and  Euonymus  radicans 
(Evergreen  creeper) . 

The  foregoing  indicates  in  a  general  way  the  large  field 
in  which  the  suburban  home  lover  may  look  for  the  material 
to  make  his  picture;  for  such  it  is  when  the  decoration  of 
the  grounds  is  attemptetl.  Emphasis  nmst  still  be  laid  upon 
the  artistic  arrangement  of  the  })lants  and  flowers  to  get  a 
perfect  result. 


Plate  XXXIX.     Terrace  garden,  herbaceous  perennials  and  vines,  brick- 
walk.    The  same  view  as  Plate  XXXV  after  three  years  of  growth. 


LBRARY 
Of  "™- 

UMiVERSlTY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  123 


•       CHAPTER  XIV 

The  circumstances  of  gardeners,  generally 
mean,  and  always  moderate,  may  satisfy  us  that 
their  great  ingenuity  is  not  commonly  over 
recompensed.  Their  deliglitful  art  is  practised 
by  so  many  rich  people  for  amusement,  that 
little  advantage  is  to  be  made  by  those  who 
practise  it  for  profit,  because  the  persons  who 
should  naturally  be  their  best  customers  supply 
themselves  with  aU  their  most  precious  pro- 
ductions. —  Adam  Smith. 

HE  busy  man  often  finds  that  he  has  not  time  to 
devote  to  the  study  necessary  to  develop  the  plans 
for  the  home  grounds,  and  decides  it  is  better  to 
secure  the  services  of  one  who  knows  how,  or  at  least 
secure  the  verbal  advice  before  beginning  or  spending  any 
money  doing  work  that  will  later  need  to  be  undone. 

Before  doing  so,  if  the  home  builder  is  entirely  ignorant  of 
the  principles  that  govern  the  art  of  landscape  architecture, 
it  is  a  good  idea  to  secure  and  read  some  of  the  standard 
authors.  As  the  reader  goes  farther  into  the  subject  he  will 
have  a  growing  respect  for  a  profession  that  he  assumed  was 
superficial  and  perhaps  not  needed  in  developing  his  home 
grounds.  He  will  find  that  the  range  of  knowledge  required 
of  the  landscape  architect  is  greater  than  of  any  other  pro- 
fession. Besides  reading  the  standard  authors  it  is  a  good 
idea  for  the  home  builder  to  peruse  regularly  a  good  reliable 
home  gardening  publication  of  which  there  are  many  pub- 
lished. These  give  suggestions  as  to  the  treatment  of  various 
difficulties  that  arise  in  caring  for  tho  grounds. 

Then  after  getting  an  idea  or  getting  into  the  atmosphere 
of  the  landscape  art  the  reader  is  in  a  position  to  appreciate 
what  a  professional  landscape  architect  will  advise. 


124  How  to  Lay  Out 

The  province  of  the  landscape  architect  or  designer  is  to 
advise  as  to  the  arrangement  of  the  grounds  and  prepare  plans 
for  their  execution.  He  will  mould  into  shape  the  ideas  of 
the  home  builder  or  suggest  entirely  new  ones.  He  is  to  pro- 
tect the  owner  from  unscrupulous  contractors  or  nurserymen 
so  as  to  secure  the  best  results  at  the  least  expense.  Choose, 
then,  a  reliable,  well  trained  man  in  whom  can  be  placed 
explicit  confidence.  As  his  remuneration  for  services  ren- 
dered is  in  the  form  of  professional  fees  there  should  be  no 
inducement  for  him  to  order  an  excessive  amount  of  work  or  a 
larger  number  of  plants  than  is  needed  to  accomplish  the 
effect.  He  should  have  nothing  to  sell — either  materials  or 
plants.  His  knowledge,  training,  experience,  and  above  all  his 
artistic  taste,  are  his  stock  in  trade.  The  best  landscape  archi- 
tects very  rarely  advertise  commercially  and  are  known  by 
their  experience,  training,  and  work.  Avoid  the  free  plan  idea, 
for  it  is  a  well  known  fact  that  something  for  nothing  is  rarely 
given.     There  must  be  pay  somewhere. 

The  card  of  the  landscape  architect  is  usually  on  this  order 
and  shows  the  scope  of  his  work: 

The  undersigned  offers  his  services  to  those  who  contemplate 
the  subdivision  or  improvement  of  land  for  sale,  the  develop- 
ment or  revision  of  large  and  small  estates,  parks,  public 
squares,  playgi'ounds,  the  surroundings  of  factories,  hospitals, 
and  other  public  institutions.  He  will  consult  with  owners, 
architects,  engineers,  and  others  concerning  the  placing  of 
buildings,  laying  out  of  drives  and  walks,  gi-ading  of  surfaces, 
and  the  treatment  of  old  and  new  plantations.  In  general, 
his  services  are  offered  where  the  appearance  of  the  result  is 
worth  consideration,  whether  in  the  arrangement  of  the  land 
or  of  the  objects  upon  it. 

A  preliminary  visit  and  consultation  on  the  gi-ound  is  essential 
in  most  cases  to  acquaint  him  with  the  client's  wishes,  and  with 
the  physical  and  financial  conditions  of  the  case,  to  the  end 
that  he  may  suggest  the  most  suitable  method  of  procedure. 


Plate  XL.     Simple  treatment  of  porch  of  ordinary  house,  softening  the 
severe  architectural  lines.      (Lot  fifty  feet  front.) 


Plate  XLL     Simple  entrance  to  kitchen  porch  and  yard. 


OF  THE 
UNiVERSITy  OF  ILLINOIS 


Suburban  Home  Grounds.  127 

If  a  sketch  or  |)lan  drawn  to  scale  is  desired  a  survey  or  topo- 
graphical map  is  ordinaril}'  required. 

Preliminary  sketches  are  then  presented,  with  explanations, 
for  discussion,  and  when  these  are  approved  a  finished  general 
plan  follows. 

The  general  plan  can  be  staked  out  by  a  surveyor  and  car- 
ried forward  by  day  work  under  a  qualified  superintendent, 
but  the  best  results  are  rarely  obtained  without  tlie  occasional 
advice  on  the  ground  and  more  or  less  assistance  from  the 
designer. 

If  the  work  is  to  be  executed  under  a  qualified  superinten- 
dent, few  plans  are  required;  but  if  by  contract,  working 
drawings  and  written  specifications  are  necessary  and  such 
supervision  as  may  be  required. 

Planting  plans  for  both  large  and  small  areas,  and  in  any 
degree  of  detail,  are  prepared  when  occasion  requires.  Order 
lists  for  plants  are  made  from  reliable  nursery  catalogues  and 
the  lowest  prices  obtained  for  the  client's  benefit. 

Professional  charges  can  be  had  upon  application  by  stating 
the  nature  of  the  work  undertaken  and  the  advice  required. 
If  desired,  a  preliminary  visit  wiU  be  made  for  a  fee  agi'eed 
upon  in  advance. 

Ha\dng  secured  the  services  of  the  landscape  architect  and 
having  adopted  and  carried  out  his  plans,  due  respect  should 
be  accorded  to  the  designer  and  not  endeavor  to  improve  on 
the  design  by  planting  trees  or  shrubs  on  a  lawn  in  an  inar- 
tistic setting.  !Many  a  good  design  has  been  ruined  by  the 
so-called  practical  ideas  of  the  owner,  even  in  the  process  of  the 
work,  thereby  ruining  the  conception  and  the  unity  and  beauty 
of  the  place.  It  is  only  after  such  mistakes  have  been  made 
that  the  owner  realizes  that  it  is  more  of  an  art  to  design  the 
gi'ounds  than  it  is  to  paint  a  picture,  for  one  has  under  his 
control  the  pigments  and  can  idealize  or  omit  any  inharmo- 
nious objects  in  the  scene,  the  other  must  make  a  real  picture 
using  materials  that  are  not  always  under  his  control. 


128      How  to  Lay  Out  Suburban  Grounds. 

The  landscape  architect  in  Iiis  position  lias  more  problems 
of  revision  than  of  original  conception.  Often  the  skilled  man 
will  take  the  existing  shrubs  and  objects  upon  the  ground  and 
by  rearranging  them  secure  with  but  little  expense  a  pleasing 
and  artistic  treatment.  A  beautiful  parlor  may  be  spoiled  by 
the  poor  arrangement  of  the  furniture  or  by  using  inharmonious 
objects;  so  it  is  with  the  small  suburban  grounds.  One  advan- 
tage in  getting  a  professional  man  to  look  over  one's  grounds 
is  that  he  will  see  things  that  are  inharmonious  which  l)y 
constant  daily  observation  has  been  blunted  or  removed  from 
the  perceptions. 

In  developing  there  should  be  a  liberal  amount  of  ])atience 
used,  for  grass,  trees,  and  shrubs  are  not  subjects  of  man's  will, 
they  must  have  time  to  grow. 

It  is  often  a  puzzle  how  to  get  or  buy  the  plants.  If  a  pro- 
fessional adviser  is  not  employed  the  best  way  is  to  make  out 
a  list  of  the  shrubs  and  trees  desired  and  secure  estimates  from 
reliable  nurseries.  Many  nurseries  issue  illustrated  catalogues 
telling  of  the  various  plants,  sometimes  in  glowing  colors. 
However,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  secure  some  of  these  and  peruse 
them  as  a  guide,  but  they  are  not  to  be  followed  blindly.  They 
often  tell  of  the  ultimate  size  of  the  plant,  the  soil,  and  cultural 
requirements,  the  color  and  time  of  flowering,  the  summer  and 
fall  effect  of  both  foliage  and  fruit,  besides  telling  the  varieties 
of  plants  that  can  be  grown  in  the  locality  other  than  the 
indigenous  kinds. 

Thus  is  the  beautiful  in  the  home  grounds  obtained,  the 
ideal  reached  by  prevision,  determination,  good  work,  and 
patience.  Never  must  the  design,  the  arrangement,  the  desired 
mass  effect  or  the  general  conception  be  lost  to  mind,  and 
the  use  of  materials  be  only  for  the  development  of  the  idea. 
He  that  would  attain  unto  any  height  must  strive.  There  is 
no  royal  road  to  beautiful  grounds. 


Scale  of  Feet 

JQ  JO  ^0 


Street 

■ I-     1      „.  -.fFstate"E."     Note  the  exceedingly  dif- 

P..NXIV.     TopoS-lf'^"^;nedl^'t^^^      Areaof  estate  one  acre.     See 
ficult  topography   of   rocks,  ledges,   etc. 
Plan  XV  opposite  for  development. 


OF  THE 
UMIVERSITV  OF  ILLINOIS 


Street 


Plan  XV.  Prelimiuary  plan  for  Estate  "  E."  Note  in  this  plan  the  cellar 
excavation  will  nearly  build  the  terrace  walls.  Material  for  levelling 
the  lawns  to  be  brought  in. 


OF  THE 
UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


INDEX. 


Agricultural  tile,  37. 
Annuals,  119. 
Arbor,  4,  43,  50,  51. 
Architectural  style,  8. 
Architect,  12,  19,  30. 
Artificial  stone,  44. 

Border  plantation,  70. 
Boulder  bank,  52. 
Brick  walk,  43,  44. 
Brook,  52. 
Bulbs,  88,  104,  120. 

Catch  basin,  14,  20,  37,38. 

City  regulations,  8. 

Clothes  drying  j-ard,  4,  51. 

Contrast,  70. 

Convenience  in  arrangement,  16. 

Cost,  4,  7,  8,  11,  12,  15,  29,  30,  35, 

76.  84,  88,  124. 
Crown,  drive,  walk,  38,  43. 
Cross  section,  29. 
Crushed  stone,  38,  43. 

Design  of  grounds,  7,  35,  52,  70,  75, 

88,  90,  124,  127,  128. 
Drainage,  11,  19,  20,  35,  37,  55. 
Drains,  19,  20,  37,  38. 
Drives,  4,  29,  35,  36,  37,  38,  43,  49, 

124. 

Evergreens,  76,  84,  97,  101. 
Excavation,  30,  35,  38, 
Exposure  to  sun,  12. 

Fall  effects,  76. 
Fall  planting,  83. 
Fall  seeding,  62. 
Fences,  51,  62,  84. 
FertiHzer,  55,  61. 


Flower  garden,  4,  7, 11, 12,  16,  20,  23, 

30,  87,  88. 
Flowers,  102,  115. 
Fountain,  52. 

Gardens,  4,  29. 

Garden  walk,  44. 

Grades,  29,  43,  49. 

Grading,  7,  16,  19,  35,  56,  64,  124. 

Grading  plan,  30,  35. 

Granolithic  walk,  44. 

Grass  seed,  61. 

Gravel  drive,  38. 

Group  planting,  69,  70. 

Gutter,  37. 

Hedge,  84. 

Herbaceous  perennials,  75,  76,  87,  88. 

House,  4,   12,  19,  20,  24,  29,  43,  50, 

70,  127. 
House  lot,  16,  19,  20. 
Hybrid  roses,  75,  87. 

Improvements,  11. 

Joints,  in  wall,  52. 

Kitchen,  12,  16. 

Landscape  architect;  11,  16,  29,  30, 

64,  123,  124,  127,  128. 
Lattice  fence,  51 
Laundry  yard,  16,  51. 
Lawn,  4,  7,  11,  16,  29,  .30,  35,  36,  50, 

51,  55,  61,  62,   64,  69,  70,  76,  84, 

88,  97. 
Lot,  11,  15,  16,  19,  20. 

Macadam  drive,  38. 
Maintenance,  4,  36,  38,  55,  75,  76,  79, 
87,  88. 

133 


134 


Index. 


Manure,  55,  61,  80,  88. 
Mass  eflfect,  69,  128. 
Mulching,  80,  84. 

Natural  treatment,  4,  8,  20,  35,  88. 
Neighborhood,  11. 
North  Point,  24. 
Nuisances,  11,  12,  16,  69,  76. 
Nursery  grown  plants,  79,  128. 

Ogee  curve,  35. 
Old  fashioned  plants,  87. 
Open  lot,  16,  19. 
Owner's  mistakes,  127. 

Paths,  35,  43,  44. 

Perennials,  76,  87,  88,  103. 

Pergola,  50,  51. 

Planning,  4, 7, 29, 35, 36, 70,90, 124, 1 27. 

Plantation  bay,  76. 

Planting  bed,  29,  .30,  SO. 

Planting  design,  7,  26,  64,  69,  70,  75, 

76,  127. 
Plants  and  Planting,  7,  12,  20,  64,  69, 

70, 76, 79, 80, 83,87, 88, 124, 127, 128. 
Planting  plan,  64,  69. 
Planting  trees,  96. 
Pools,  stagnant,  11. 
Preliminary  plan,  24,  127. 
Pruning,  80,  83,  84,  87. 

Reseeding,  61. 
Restrictions,  11,  12. 
Rockery,  52. 
Rose  garden,  75,  84. 
Rustic  work,  50. 

Screening  jjlantation,  26,  76. 

Seat,  50. 

Seed  and  seeding,  61. 

Sewers,  11. 

Shrubs,  7,   12,  16,    19,  23,  29,  35,  3(), 

69,  75,  76,  S3,  84,  88,  98,  99,  107, 

128. 


Site,  4,  8,  11,  12,  16,  23,  24. 

Sod,  62. 

Soil,  11,  35,  37,  55,  75,  80,  87,  88. 

Specifications,  30,  127. 

Spring  i)lanting,  83. 

Spring  .seeding,  61. 

Spruce  pole  fence,  51. 

Stagnant  pools,  1 1 . 

Steps,  43. 

Stepping  stones,  43,  44. 

Stone,  artificial.  44. 

Street,  8,  11,  51. 

Summer  house,  50. 

Surface  water,  19,  20,  37. 

Survey,  23,  24,  127. 

Tennis  court,  7,  29,  43,  62. 
Terrace,  4,  20,  51. 
Topographical  map,  23,  64,  127. 
Telford  drive,  38. 
Topsoil,  30,  50,  80. 
Transplanting,  79. 
Transportation  facilities,  8. 
Trees,  7,  11,  12,  16,  19.  23,  24,29,  64. 

69,  70,  75,  80,  S3,  88,  95,  97,  128. 
Turf  gutter,  37. 

Utilities,  7,  8,  16.  29,  36,  51. 

Vegetable  garden,  11,  20. 
Views,  4,  12,  50,  64. 
Vines,  50,  S7,  120. 
\'ista,  50. 

Walks,  4,  35,  43,  45,  49,  124. 

Walls,  19,  20,  29,  30,  43,  51. 

Water  basin,  52. 

Water  supply,  11. 

Weeds,  56.  61,  88. 

Wind,  12.  -" 

W inter  effects,  76. 

Working  plan,  30,  127. 

Woven  wire  fence,  51,  63. 


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